Lewisville, TX – While many forms of prostate cancer are relatively non-aggressive, paving the way for active surveillance instead of in-depth treatment, sometimes early findings don’t match the long-term reality of the disease. With this in mind, oncologists need better tools to determine which low risk, early stage tumors are more likely to spread than others. Enter a new protein marker that just may be able to help doctors prescribe treatments with more precision.

“Treatment of low-risk prostate cancer is a rather delicate balancing act,” explains Dr. Gregory Echt, founder and lead surgeon at Lewisville Flower Mound Oncology. “Aggressive treatments can have impacts on a man’s quality of life. That means doctors often opt for a wait-and-see approach when low-risk tumors are diagnosed. The problem is that sometimes those ‘low-risk’ tumors actually are quite capable of spreading if they aren’t addressed more aggressively from the start. Determining which ones to treat and which ones to monitor, however, is problematic at best.”

Enter research that is showing high levels of a particular protein, DNA-PK, may serve as markers for early stage tumors that are more likely to spread. This indicator may one day help oncologists more readily determine when more aggressive treatment actions are called for. Although still in the study stages, DNA-PK is proving itself to be a strong candidate for adding more precision to the diagnostic phase.

“Prostate cancer is among the most treatable forms of this disease today,” says Dr. Echt. “The key is being able to detect it early and being able to clearly pinpoint which cases to aggressively treat and which ones simply call for monitoring. This new protein research may provide a way to separate true low risk cases from those that demand more attention.”

Men who are over the age of 50 are urged to discuss prostate cancer screening with their healthcare providers. Early detection, and treatment when warranted, can greatly increase a man’s chance of survival.

About Lewisville/Flower Mound Oncology Group
The Lewisville/Flower Mound Oncology Group has state-of-the-art facilities that offer individualized care to patients throughout North Texas. With a team of expert oncologists and other specialists on staff, the Lewisville/Flower Mound Oncology Group treats a variety of cancers and blood disorders with an eye towards the newest advancements available in diagnostic technology and treatments.