MiraDx, in collaboration with the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, is conducting a clinical trial to validate a novel prostate cancer biomarker panel designed to help assess patients who were at a greater risk of having long-term toxicity in response to their radiation treatment, to help guide treatment decisions.
Treatment can involve radiation therapy, surgery, and/or hormone therapy
Radiation has the advantage of being non-invasive; however, the most challenging part of radiation treatment for prostate cancer has been that it was often given over 8 weeks. Recently, it has been shown that radiation can be delivered in 5 days instead, as opposed to 8 weeks, and patients appear to do just as well with regards to cancer control and side effects. The advantage of a 5-day treatment versus 8 weeks is obvious, and of course, most patients prefer that option. However, while both 5 days and 8 weeks are generally safe, about 5-7% of patients will have long-lasting side effects that negatively impact their quality of life.
Genetic Biomarkers could help determine the optimal course of treatment
Recent research from Dr. Weidhaas’s laboratory has found genetic markers that can help separate groups of patients based on the risk of treatment toxicity to the 8-week treatment protocol versus the 5-day treatment protocol and vice versa. Through this study, they were able to identify biomarkers that could identify patients who were at a greater risk of having long-term toxicity in response to their radiation treatment.
They were able to identify patients at high risk of toxicity after treatment and found that patients who were at a high risk of toxicity after 5 days of radiation were not the same patients at high risk of toxicity after 8 weeks of radiation. In other words, there are certain patients who are at greater risk of toxicity if they receive the 5-day treatment and a different set of patients who are at greater risk if they get the 8-week treatment. These prostate cancer biomarkers could help a patient, along with their doctor, determine the best and safest course of treatment for their prostate cancer.
MiraDx is continuing this work in a clinical trial, in collaboration with the Jonsson Cancer, to further validate these novel prostate cancer biomarkers.
For more information about this novel prostate cancer biomarker clinical trial, please see the clinical trial page here. Those with interest in participating in this trial, please contact the Clinical Research Coordinator for the UCLA Department of Radiation Oncology at mcasado@mednet.ucla.edu or call (310) 267-8146.