New genomic test identifies prostate cancer patients needing intensive treatment

A new genomic test could identify prostate cancer patients who need intensive treatment while sparing others from unnecessary therapy side effects, according to a study presented at a major cancer conference. The Decipher test analyzes tumor genetics from existing biopsies to predict cancer aggressiveness and spread risk. Researchers examined Decipher scores from over 6,000 men and found higher scores consistently predicted worse outcomes, including which patients would benefit from adding the hormone therapy abiraterone to standard treatment. The drug, which blocks testosterone fueling cancer, halved mortality risks in high-risk cases. The findings appeared in both a large real-world dataset and a randomized clinical trial. The study comes after NHS England expanded abiraterone eligibility in January to include men with high-risk cancer that had not yet spread. Researchers caution that further validation in other datasets is needed before routine clinical use, though the test's maker says evidence increasingly supports its use in treatment decisions.