Dr. Steven Yip
Medical Oncologist, Tom Baker Cancer Centre
Laurent Proulx
President & General Director, PROCURE
Early prostate cancer screening ensures good health outcomes. For men with genetic changes that affect the body’s ability to repair DNA, this is especially important.
In 2007 Laurent Proulx, then 48, was working as Chief Technology officer for a public company. He was in top physical shape, running regular marathons and triathlons. During his required annual physical that year, Proulx’s doctor found some abnormalities with his prostate specific antigen (PSA) test and referred him to a urologist who confirmed the diagnosis—prostate cancer.
Patient journey for men
The size of a walnut and located just below the bladder in front of the rectum, the prostate is the male reproductive gland. Prostate cancer occurs when prostate cells multiply, causing a malignant tumour. If caught early, as in Proulx’s case, prostate cancer has a good prognosis. He underwent prostate removal surgery and required no further treatment, and now supports other men with prostate cancer as the President and CEO of PROCURE.
Like Proulx, many men with prostate cancer are diagnosed early and make a full recovery. “A smaller group of patients are diagnosed with advanced disease or have a recurrence into advanced disease,” says Dr. Steven Yip, Medical Oncologist, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Calgary, Alberta. Though considered incurable at the advanced, metastatic stage, advancements in treatments such as precision oncology, PARP inhibitors, and radiopharmaceuticals are improving quality of life and survival for these patients. “While these unique novel treatments are not applicable to everyone, we’re getting better at identifying the best approach for each individual patient,” says Dr. Yip.
Importance of genetic testing
One way to help identify optimal individual treatment is through DNA testing. Different genes can play a role in prostate cancer and can affect how the disease develops and progresses in a patient. DNA testing can help identify the best novel therapy for the individual patient. “Approximately 20 to 30 per cent of the metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer population have some kind of DNA damage repair mutations, and about 10 per cent of the general population have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation,” says Dr. Yip, who is advocating for easier access to genetic testing, especially for patients with a family history of the disease.
The importance of men advocating for their health and knowing their testing options cannot be overstated. “Historically men have been shy about getting their prostate checked, but during the pandemic, more men were diagnosed with advanced disease, so early testing is critical,” says Dr. Yip.
Laurent Proulx echoes this sentiment. “I encourage men to be open about it, talk to their doctors, and get a PSA test once a year. PROCURE offers a free support line, 1 855 899-2873, available seven days a week with specialized nurses to answer all of your questions related to prostate diseases,” Proulx says.”
Talk to your doctor about PSA and genetic testing or visit PROCURE for accurate information at procure.ca.
