Prostate Cancer Biobank
Carcinoma of the prostate is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and occurs predominantly in older men - almost two-thirds of those affected are over 65 years of age. In a significant proportion of patients, the disease is harmless and progresses only very slowly. As a result, there is a risk of overdiagnosis and overtreatment. The main diagnostic tool for prostate cancer is the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, but its specificity is minimal. It is important to look for other biological characteristics (biomarkers) that provide pointers to the need for a diagnosis and treatment. Even after treatment and in advanced stages of disease, decisions are often difficult, because it is not necessarily clear which patient needs a specific treatment. In this study, a multicenter biobank of patient sera, plasma and tissue is being established together with information of relevance to the disease, in order to provide a basis for the testing of biomarkers. The aim is to identify markers that offer diagnostic and treatment-selective pointers and thus make a decisive contribution to the optimum care of patients.
Start: November 2014