In prostate cancer there are a number of very important problems that require elucidation. Probably one of the most important is to try and develop new tests for prostate cancer. We know that the PSA test is a poor test, in that it has a low level of accuracy in the diagnosis of malignancy. It would be wonderful to have a new test that was much more specific to prostate cancer. Some prostate cancer is benign and some malignant. It would be fabulous if a test became available which allowed us to distinguish which prostate cancer is virulent and requires urgent treatment and which varieties of prostate cancer are more indolent and may be watched.
The other big problem in prostate cancer for patients is, of course, the problem of relapse. By this is meant the increase in the cancer’s activity after a period of response to treatment. If one could understand the biological processes that lead to this step and control them, then it might be possible for man to live longer, live in some sort of peaceful equilibrium with his cancer.
In the meantime, here are recent studies on prostate cancer:
