New era for Prostate cancer treatment

New Precision medicine for treating advanced prostate cancer has been called a “breakthrough” by a leading cancer charity.

Olaparib and Ipatasertib have the potential to become the first precision medicines for advanced prostate cancer, according to research presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology’s Virtual Congress 2020. These medicines allow doctors to select the treatments most likely to help patients based on a genetic understanding of their illness.

Dr. Matthew Hobbs, Director of Research at Prostate Cancer UK said the results “mark a new era for prostate cancer treatment.”

Olaparib is already approved for treating breast cancer patients, have demonstrated slow progression of prostate cancer in men whose tumors contain certain gene defects.

 Trials of Ipatasertib another drug designed to treat men whose cancers lack a specific gene called PTEN – have also shown positive early results.

Precision medicine allow doctors to target treatments most likely to help patients based on a genetic profile of their disease.