Brian T. Helfand, MD, PhD, presented “All Men with Prostate Cancer and All Patients with Advanced Disease Should Undergo Germline Testing” virtually during the Perspectives in Urology: Point Counterpoint 2020 virtual conference in November 2020.
How to cite: Helfand, Brian T. “All Men with Prostate Cancer and All Patients with Advanced Disease Should Undergo Germline Testing.” November 2020. Accessed Apr 2024. https://grandroundsinurology.com/all-men-with-prostate-cancer-and-all-patients-with-advanced-disease-should-undergo-germline-testing/
All Men with Prostate Cancer and All Patients with Advanced Disease Should Undergo Germline Testing – Summary
Brian T. Helfand, MD, PhD, Chief of the Division of Urology and the Ronald L. Chez Family and Richard Melman Family Endowed Chair at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, Illinois, takes the pro side in a point-counterpoint debate on the merits of germline testing for all patients with prostate cancer, from the screening stage to the advanced treatment stage. Dr. Helfand argues that germline testing is beneficial during screening since the identification of rare pathogenic mutations can indicate which patients are at high risk for more aggressive prostate cancer. Germline testing for patients with localized disease is also useful since if a patient has a genetic variant it is more advisable to proceed to definitive treatment with surgery or radiation as opposed to putting them on active surveillance. Dr. Helfand concludes by observing that it can be particularly useful for patients with advanced disease to undergo germline testing since some genetic variants are associated with increased response to certain treatments, such as PARP inhibitors and platinum-based therapies for men with DNA damage repair mutations and immunotherapies for DNA mismatch repair mutations.
About the Perspectives in Urology: Point Counterpoint 2020 virtual conference:
Presented by Program Chair and Grand Rounds in Urology Editor-in-Chief E. David Crawford, MD, as well as Program Co-Chair Dan Theodorescu, MD, PhD, this virtual conference brought together leading experts in urology, medical oncology, and radiation oncology to discuss and debate the latest topics in genitourinary cancers, primarily prostate cancer and bladder cancer. This two-day interactive conference offered topical lectures, pro/con debates, interesting-case presentations, interactive panel discussions, and interactive audience and faculty networking. A focus on prostate cancer was given on Wednesday, November 11th, with a focus on bladder cancer given on Thursday, November 12th.
