New biopsy method shows prostate cancers considered 'low risk' may be anything but

This study is the first to show the value of using it early in the selection process for men interested in active surveillance. "These findings are important, as active surveillance is a growing trend in this country," said the study’s senior author, Dr. Leonard Marks, a professor of urology and director of the UCLA active surveillance program. "It’s an excellent option for many men thought to have slow-growing cancers. But we show here that some men thought to be candidates for active surveillance based on conventional biopsies really are not good candidates." Marks and his team identified 113 men enrolled in the UCLA active surveillance program who met the criteria for having low-risk cancers based on conventional biopsies. Study volunteers underwent an MRI to visualize the prostate and any lesions. That information was then fed into the Artemis device, which fused the MRI pictures with real-time, three-dimensional ultrasound, allowing the urologist to visualize and target lesions during the biopsy. "Prostate cancer is difficult to image because of the limited contrast between normal and malignant tissues within the prostate," Marks said. "With the Artemis, we have a virtual map of the suspicious areas placed directly onto the ultrasound image during the biopsy. When you can see a lesion, you’ve got a major advantage of knowing what’s really going on in the prostate." Of the 113 volunteers enrolled in the study, 41 men (36 percent) were found to have more aggressive...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news