Personalized Medicine: Prostate Cancer Therapy

Prostate cancer (prostate carcinoma, malignant prostatic hyperplasia) is the second most common cancer in men. It is important to note that non-binary individuals and trans* women can also be diagnosed with prostate cancer, as the prostate remains intact even if gender reassignment surgery is performed. According to the World Cancer Research Fund International, a total of around 1,468,000 new patients are diagnosed with prostate cancer worldwide every year. This type of cancer affects the prostate gland, a chestnut-sized organ in the urogenital tract of the biologically male body that surrounds the urethra. Age in particular is a risk factor for the disease: while only 1 in 4800 of 35-year-olds will develop prostate cancer in the next 10 years, this figure rises to 1 in 15 for people of the age of 75.

There is a good chance of a successful prostate cancer therapy if the tumor is detected early and is localized to the prostate — i.e. it has not metastasized. Patients then have various proven treatment options at their disposal to combat the cancer. In addition, new methods have been developed in recent years, such as precision medicine, also called personalized medicine for prostate cancer. In the following, we present current methods for treating a tumor on the prostate and show the role that RGCC International’s modern cancer blood tests play in the targeted treatment of prostate cancer.

Treatment methods in the field of prostate cancer therapy have developed considerably in recent years. They range from traditional approaches such as surgery and radiotherapy to personalized therapies that are tailored to the genetic details of each person and their unique tumor.

Which methods your doctor will recommend for your personal therapy plan, depends on various factors, such as:

Tumor biology and histology: The degree of differentiation of the tumor, the growth factor and hormone receptors, molecular analysis of mutations and activation of prostate cancer-relevant genes.
Stage of the prostate carcinoma (TNM classification): How large is the primary tumor? Is it localized to the prostate, has it grown into surrounding tissue, or has the cancer already metastasized?
Growth rate of the tumor (Gleason score): The Gleason score allows conclusions to be drawn about the aggressiveness of the tumor — how fast is it growing, and how rapidly is it spreading in the prostate and to surrounding structures?
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA value): An elevated PSA level may indicate prostate cancer. Although PSA is primarily a biomarker measured in the blood, its gene expression also plays a role in cancer risk assessment and monitoring after prostate cancer treatment.
General health: The patient's age, physical condition and any pre-existing conditions also play a role in the risk assessment and treatment decision for prostate cancer.

National and international guidelines such as the ASCO’s clinical practice guidelines and NCCN guidelines (USA) or the UKONS Version 4.0 (UK) on prostate cancer help doctors determine the most suitable prostate cancer treatment for each patient. In addition to the guidelines, patients' wishes can also be taken into account during prostate cancer therapy, provided they do not impede the success of the treatment. Today, many doctors follow the concept of precision medicine to tailor the treatment steps to the individual disease situation and the patient's needs. As a rule, one of the following established procedures or a combination of several methods is used to successfully treat prostate cancer or delay the progression of the disease.

Controlled Waiting and Active Monitoring

At an advanced age and if the patient has other diseases, one possible strategy is controlled waiting. The prostate cancer is only treated when symptoms appear - usually with hormone therapy. The aim is to delay the progression of the tumor and maintain quality of life for as long as possible. If there is only a low risk and doctors assume that the tumor in the prostate will not lead to health problems during the patient's lifetime, they can follow active monitoring guidelines and in the case that the PSA value or the Gleason score exceed certain threshold values, prostate cancer therapy should be started. In both cases, the patients concerned are closely monitored.

Operation (Radical Prostatectomy)

The standard method in prostate cancer therapy is the so-called radical prostatectomy. This involves the complete removal of the prostate and any surrounding tissue that may be affected. Nowadays, the operation can be robot-assisted and therefore performed with much smaller incisions and with more efficiency. A common consequence of a radical prostatectomy is erectile dysfunction (ED) and incontinence (involuntary loss of urine), as the nerve fibers around the prostate can be damaged during the operation. In addition, parts of the internal sphincter muscles of the bladder are removed, resulting in temporary incontinence. The side effects of this prostate cancer therapy measure can be temporary or permanent.

Percutaneous Radiotherapy & Brachytherapy

Radiotherapy, or radiation therapy, can be used in addition to or as an alternative to surgery. A distinction is made between percutaneous radiotherapy (irradiation of the prostate from the outside via the skin) and brachytherapy (irradiation of the prostate from the inside). There are other radiation-based treatment methods for prostate cancer, such as radiosurgery. This form of radiation therapy is particularly suitable for patients with localized tumors, but can also be used in advanced stages. Common side effects of radiation therapy include erectile dysfunction, incontinence and bladder and gastrointestinal issues.

Hormone Therapy / Hormone Deprivation Therapy

The testosterone hormone promotes the growth of cancer cells in the prostate. As part of hormone therapy (hormone deprivation therapy), the testosterone level in the blood is lowered in order to inhibit the progression of the cancer. Hormone therapy is usually used alongside curative procedures for advanced prostate cancer or if the cancer has already metastasized. Hormone therapy can also be used if surgery or radiotherapy is not possible due to old age or poor health.

Focal Therapies

Focal therapies only treat the part of the prostate affected by the cancer. Targeted therapies include, for example, vascular targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP), cryotherapy, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) or irreversible electroporation (IRE). It is not yet certain whether these precision medicine procedures are as effective as surgery or radiotherapy. A number of studies and tests are currently being carried out in this field.

Chemotherapy

If the cancer is already at an advanced stage and other treatment methods are unfeasible or no longer possible, chemotherapy can be used as a palliative treatment of prostate cancer. This involves the use of chemotherapeutic drugs (cell-killing drugs) that attack and kill cancer cells. However, the drugs also attack healthy cells and have numerous side effects, such as hair loss, nausea and exhaustion.

Like focal therapies, for example, there are other therapy methods for treating prostate cancer. One pioneering new prostate cancer therapy is based on personalized medicine. This precision method aims to tailor treatment to the individual patient based on specific genetic, molecular and cellular characteristics of the tumor. Numerous characteristics and properties like these have already been well researched for tumor cells. They can be identified using special blood tests and treated in a targeted manner using personalized therapy. Precision medicine for prostate cancer, thus enables tailored treatment that maximizes therapy efficiency and minimizes side effects by taking into account the unique characteristics of the patient's tumor. These advanced approaches open up new avenues in cancer treatment that complement and further develop traditional methods.

Targeted Therapy for Prostate Cancer

One example of new treatment methods for prostate cancer is targeted therapy, such as antibody therapy. The antibodies produced in the laboratory are not intended to act throughout the patient's body, but are directed against specific proteins that are overexpressed on the surface of the tumor cells. Personalized medicine can therefore use targeted drugs that are aimed at specific genetic mutations or anomalies in the tumor. Healthy cells are largely spared. Examples of this are drugs that target specific mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes or the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion gene, which are frequently found in prostate cancer patients.

Alternative Therapies for Prostate Cancer: New Immunotherapies

Personalized immunotherapies, which aim to specifically activate the immune system against prostate cancer cells, are also increasingly being researched and applied. These therapies use information about the genetic and molecular characteristics of the tumor to effectively target the cancer.

RGCC International runs an international laboratory network with teams consisting of researchers and scientists from a wide range of disciplines. Our experts combine cutting-edge research with state-of-the-art technology to develop targeted cancer therapies. Through our research and scientific discoveries, we aim to continuously improve patient outcomes and reduce the number of ineffective therapies.

RGCC is continuously working on the advancement of personalized medicine in the field of cancer therapies. The following methods are generally suitable for the treatment of prostate cancer. Whether they can be used in an individual case, and which methods are suitable, can only be clarified by a cancer test in conjunction with further diagnostics by specialized clinicians. We recommend that patients talk about their treatment options with their personal health care provider.

Q-REstrain

Q-REstrain consists of microRNA molecules with the ability to regulate the gene expression of a specific target. The short dsRNAs (double-stranded RNAs) are derived by cleavage of long dsRNA from Dicer and can be microRNAs (miRNAs). miRNAs then assemble with RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) and cause gene silencing. RNAi has been used in the therapy of different diseases including cancer, viral infections, respiratory diseases, etc. Targeting of specific proteins, through degradation of their mRNA, is very common in cancer treatment of different types of cancer or other infections.
Q-REstrain contains microRNAs isolated by the patient’s sample, leading to the degradation of specific mRNA molecules, which are overexpressed in this specific sample, thus regulating the expression. Q-REstrain is for autologous use only and is provided through the RGCC network.

Clavic-Q-RE

Clavic-Q-RE is an adoptive cell therapy aiming to generate a robust anti-tumor immune response. Clavi-Q-RE contains different cell populations, isolated by the patient’s sample. They include monocytes, natural killer cells, as well as dendritic cells that are already activated in vivo against tumor antigens, which are expressed on cancer samples, cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and plasma cells that have been already differentiated in vivo against tumor antigens. Clavic-Q-RE is for autologous use only and is provided through the RGCC network.

Vaccine Prep (ATA)

Vaccine Prep (ATA) is a new type of immunotherapy that activates or strengthens specific immune cells. The body's own cells are specifically designed to recognize and destroy cancer cells. We use the cellular fragments of dying tumor cells (CTCs). These include organelles, mitochondria, cell membranes and cellular RNA and DNA. In our laboratory, we stimulate the development of dendritic cells and thus promote tumor antigen therapy.

Dendritic Cell Therapy

The aim of dendritic cell therapy is to activate or strengthen the immune system. In immunotherapy, specific immune cells are used to target cancer cells. The therapy method uses so-called dendritic cells, which can recognize specific antigens on the surface of cancer cells. Thanks to improved tumor defense and a reduction in systemic side effects, the therapy is considered a promising treatment approach.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting men and trans* women worldwide. Early detection through regular screening is crucial because prostate cancer often grows slowly and may not show symptoms until it has spread to other parts of the body. Screening allows healthcare providers to detect the disease at an early stage, when it is easier to treat and offers more treatment options. According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, 99% of men whose prostate cancer was detected early survive 5 years or longer after the initial diagnosis.

Doctors recommend that men, particularly those at high risk, begin discussing prostate cancer screening with their healthcare provider by the age of 45. If they have a family history of the disease or belong to an at-risk group, screening should be discussed with their doctor as early as age 40. With personalized medicine, prostate cancer screenings can provide valuable information about the presence of cancer, even before symptoms arise. This enables healthcare providers to offer treatments that can effectively manage or cure the cancer.

Patients should work closely with their healthcare provider to determine the best screening options and treatment plan. Regular check-ups and open communication with the treating doctor are essential in managing prostate health. By staying informed and proactive, patients can ensure they receive the care they need to prevent the cancer from growing or spreading, and if necessary, receive the most appropriate treatments to combat the disease.

In order to be able to initiate targeted prostate cancer therapy based on personalized medicine, a cancer blood test must first be carried out. After years of research, our international laboratories have developed a number of tests that can provide accurate results from a simple blood or tissue sample. These tests examine the specific characteristics of the tumor. Based on the test results and other diagnostic procedures, doctors can determine the best combination of methods to treat their patients.

The following of our tests can be used to diagnose prostate cancer, detect specific biomarkers like gene mutations and personalize prostate cancer therapy:

Onco-D-clare

Onco-D-Clare is an early cancer detection test based on the synergy of molecular biology and artificial neural networks.

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InVyomma Plus

focuses on gut microbiome profiling, including analysis of short-chain fatty acids, and how they are associated with…

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Onconomics

RGCC provides highly detailed and accurate information about how effective specific anti-cancer drugs and targeted therapies are in…

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Onconomics Plus

RGCC provides information about the effect of specific anti-cancer drugs, targeted therapies and natural treatments on the…

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Onconomics Extracts

is a unique and highly detailed test that provides information on how effective natural substances and plant…

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Onconomics Extracts +

Onconomics Extracts+ provides highly detailed and accurate information about how effective specific natural substances and plant extracts are. Furthermore,…

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Oncocount

RGCC detects the presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and their concentration in the blood. CTCs are a…

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Oncotrace

RGCC detects the presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), their concentration on the blood, as well as their…

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Oncotrail RGCC

provides crucial information on the presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and their concentration in patients who…

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ArrayCGH RGCC

The array comparative genomic hybridisation (aCGH) RGCC test is used to identify chromosomal abnormalities in a patient that could…

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ChemoSNiP

is an inovative test that uses molecular biology techniques to analyze how patient's body will respond (metabolize) to…

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RGCC CAMBISeq®

(Cancer Analysis, Mutational Burden and Instability Sequencing) is an innovative test that uses next-generation sequencing analysis on…

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Metastat

RGCC is an advanced test to detect specific blood-borne markers that can accurately determine whether a secondary cancerous…

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Immune-Frame

is used to assess the condition of a patient’s immune system. Scientists use the test to identify specific…

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The team of scientists and researchers at RGCC International work every day to address unmet medical needs and contribute to more targeted cancer treatment. We want to support doctors and patients with our tests and therapies so that cancer can be treated even more effectively with personalized medicine.

Do you wish to have an early cancer diagnosis, an analysis of the disease or therapy monitoring carried out by means of a blood test? Then please get in touch with us! Our state-of-the-art tests and therapies are available exclusively to doctors and clinics in the RGCC network. You can ask for your health care provider to consider RGCC, or we can recommend a clinic in your state or area using RGCC tests.

In addition to prostate cancer therapy and testing our procedures can also be used for colon cancer therapy, lung cancer therapy or as a therapy for breast cancer and other types of the disease. Do you have any questions? Contact the highly specialized team at our help desk! We are happy to advise you.