A new antibody test to improve diagnosis of prostate cancer has been launched by pharmaceutical firm Roche. Prostate cancer accounts for 15 percent of cancer cases diagnosed in men. It occurs in the prostate glands of males and symptoms include difficulty urinating and blood in the urine or semen. About 161,000 new diagnoses of prostate cancer are expected in the United States in 2017, according to figures from the The American Cancer Society.
Ann Costello, head of Roche Tissue Diagnostics, described the prevalence of prostate cancer as a "serious public health concern", observing that it is the second most common form of cancer in men. Commenting on the launch of Roche's new diagnostic product, she explained: "The anti-p504s (SP116) Primary Antibody is an important tool to aid clinicians in making a more accurate diagnosis with a smaller tissue sample."
The anti-p504s Rabbit Monoclonal Primary Antibody developed by Roche is validated for use in a dual stain with the VENTANA Basal Cell Cocktail. The pharmaceutical firm revealed it is likely to be particularly useful in helping clinicians distinguish between benign, atypical or cancerous samples in particularly difficult cases.
Last month, research from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center suggested a new approach for treating some prostate cancer cases might be developed. Using large molecule peptides, researchers targeted a genetic anomaly found in half of all prostate cancer cases. A senior author of the study, which was published in Cancer Cell, suggested the research might open up new possibilities for precision therapy approaches to combat prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer patients are treated using a combination of different medications, therapies and surgical options. These include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy and surgery. Medication also plays an important role in treating prostate cancer. Men diagnosed with the condition may be prescribed androgen receptor inhibitors, such as Casodex (bicalutamide), which block the effect of testosterone on the prostate. These drugs are often used alongside other treatments and therapies, include medicines such as gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists, CYP-17 inhibitors and RANKL inhibitors.
