IMPACT Study

Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research identified the BRCA2 gene in the 1990s. It is associated with a very high risk of female breast and ovarian cancer and an increased risk of prostate cancer. The other BRCA gene, BRCA1 has also been found to increase prostate cancer risk at younger ages (less than 65 years).

Currently women in the UK with these genetic mutations undergo regular screening from a young age, so that should they develop cancer, it will be caught and treated early. Currently, no routine such prostate cancer screening exists for men with a genetic risk.

This trial seeks to recruit 850 men who have an cancer-causing alteration in the code of BRCA1 or 2 and also another 850 men who have been tested for the gene alterations but had a negative result. The second group will be the control group.

Those involved in the study will undergo regular PSA tests and prostate biopsies to see if it is a good way of detecting prostate cancer early for men with a genetic risk and whether the prostate cancer detected is more aggressive which would need radical treatment.

Recruitment is open until September 2015 and 12 hospitals across the UK are involved in the study.

For more information about this trial visit CancerHelp UK.