SNP Shot: Genomic Insights

Prostate cancer is a prevalent disease affecting men, primarily in middle age and beyond. It's characterized by the uncontrolled and disordered multiplication of abnormal cells within the prostate gland, leading to tumor formation. The prostate, a gland surrounding the male urethra, plays a role in producing semen, the fluid carrying sperm.

In its early stages, prostate cancer often remains painless, with many affected men exhibiting no apparent symptoms. Diagnosis frequently occurs during routine health screenings, such as blood tests measuring prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels or a digital rectal exam (DRE). As a tumor enlarges, potential symptoms include difficulty initiating or stopping urination, a sensation of incomplete bladder emptying, blood in the urine or semen, or pain during ejaculation. However, it's crucial to remember that these symptoms can also arise from other genitourinary conditions. The presence of one or more of these symptoms doesn't automatically indicate prostate cancer.

The severity and prognosis of prostate cancer vary considerably. Early-stage prostate cancer is often effectively treated. Some older men may have slow-growing prostate tumors that never pose a health threat, even without intervention. Conversely, in other men, the cancer exhibits a more aggressive nature and can become life-threatening.

Cancerous tumors can invade surrounding tissues and spread to distant sites in the body, a process known as metastasis. These tumors that originate in the prostate and spread are termed metastatic cancers. The symptoms of metastatic cancer depend on the areas to which the disease has spread. Prostate cancer commonly spreads to the lymph nodes, bones, lungs, liver, or brain.

A small proportion of prostate cancers are hereditary, running in families and linked to inherited gene variations. These hereditary cancers tend to manifest earlier in life than non-inherited (sporadic) cases.

Inheritance:

Many prostate cancer cases are not linked to inherited gene alterations. These cancers are associated with somatic variants, which are genetic changes occurring only in specific prostate cells. When inherited gene changes are involved, the mode of inheritance for cancer risk varies depending on the gene. For instance, variants in genes like BRCA1, BRCA2, and HOXB13 follow an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern, meaning a single copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to increase cancer risk. In other instances, the inheritance pattern of prostate cancer risk remains unclear. It's vital to understand that individuals inherit an elevated risk of cancer, not the disease itself. Not everyone who inherits variants in these genes will ultimately develop cancer.