Study identifies 8 genetic patterns behind most prostate cancers

An international team of researchers has identified eight distinct genetic "footprints" that account for roughly 85 percent of all prostate cancer cases, offering a new way to distinguish between harmless tumors and those likely to become life-threatening. The study, published Wednesday in Nature, analyzed tumor samples from nearly 1,000 patients and found that four of those eight patterns are directly linked to aggressive cancers prone to spreading beyond the prostate.news-medical+2

A Genetic Map of Prostate Cancer

The research, led by Joachim Weischenfeldt, a professor at the Biotech Research & Innovation Centre at the University of Copenhagen and Rigshospitalet, took a different approach from conventional cancer genetics. Rather than focusing on individual cancer-causing genes, the team examined mutational signatures — patterns left across the entire genome by the biological processes that drive tumor development.medicalxpress+1

"It is a bit like a crime scene. The cancer gene is the culprit, while the genetic signatures are the fingerprints left behind," Weischenfeldt said.news-medical+1

The study also revealed that DNA replication errors play a far larger role than previously understood, accounting for around one-third of prostate tumors. The finding opens what Weischenfeldt called "an entirely new field for understanding the underlying biology and for developing new treatments". Additional genetic patterns were found to be associated with age and ancestry, including footprints more common in Black men.independent+2

From Lab to Clinic

The discovery could eventually reshape how prostate cancer is managed. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men worldwide, yet clinicians have long struggled to determine which cases require aggressive intervention. Once the disease spreads, the five-year survival rate drops to 30 percent, according to Jüri Reimand, a principal investigator at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research and co-author of the study.medicalxpress+1

The researchers found evidence that the eight signatures could help predict which patients would respond to chemotherapy versus hormone therapy, a step toward more personalized treatment. However, Geoff Macintyre, co-senior author and group leader at Spain's Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas, cautioned that "the findings have to be confirmed in other groups of patients" before reaching hospitals.news-medical+1

A Realistic Timeline

Weischenfeldt stressed that the method relies on sequencing technologies already in wide use in cancer diagnostics, suggesting it could be applied for risk assessment "within the next few years." Still, clinical validation remains a necessary next step before any change in patient care.medicalxpress+1

"Our goal is to tailor treatment to each individual patient's disease, and this brings us one step closer to making that a reality," Weischenfeldt said.medicalxpress