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When you or a loved one has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, it’s natural to feel uncertain about what comes next. The question for many patients is: Which treatment is right for me?
Since not all prostate cancers are the same, in-depth testing can help provide information about how the cancer may behave and whether it has spread, which may impact treatment options.
PSA levels and biopsy results can help with an accurate diagnosis, but additional testing can provide a clearer picture of the cancer.
These tests may include:
- Imaging tests that show where cancer is in the body.
- Genomic tests that analyze the tumor itself.
- And, genetic tests that look for inherited cancer risk.
Together, results help the healthcare team better understand the disease and personalize a treatment plan.
One of the latest imaging tools is the PSMA PET scan. PSMA stands for prostate-specific membrane antigen, a protein found on many prostate cancer cells.
During this scan, a small amount of radioactive tracer attaches to PSMA proteins. The scan then highlights areas where prostate cancer cells may be present in the body.
This information can help doctors determine whether cancer is still confined to the prostate or if it has spread elsewhere—an important factor in choosing therapy.
Next, is genomic testing, which analyzes the activity of genes inside the cancer cells. These tests use tissue from your prostate biopsy to analyze patterns in the tumor’s biology.
The results help estimate how aggressive the cancer may be and how likely it is to grow or spread.
For some patients, genomic testing may support the active surveillance approach—carefully monitoring the cancer instead of treating it immediately.
For others, results may suggest a need to start treatment sooner.
In addition to genomic testing, genetic testing looks for inherited changes in DNA that may increase cancer risk. This testing is usually done with a blood or saliva sample and can identify mutations in genes. The presence of genetic mutations may affect treatment decisions and could also provide important information for family members who might share the same genetic risk.
Each of these test results gives one piece of the puzzle. Together, they help your care team build a treatment plan just for you. When considering prostate cancer care choices, ask your doctor:
- Have I had advanced testing, including imaging, genomic and genetic testing?
- What type of imaging tests did I have? Do I need PET PSMA imaging?
- What do the results tell you about my prostate cancer?
- Do the test results impact my treatment options?
- Will I need additional testing in the future?
Managing prostate cancer is complex—but the right testing may open the door to better, more personalized treatment. Visit powerfulpatients.org/prostate to learn more tools for self-advocacy.