We are halfway through November- a month of advocacy which sees the return of the annual Movember campaign, an initiative that calls for the menfolk to grow dapper mustaches in a bid to raise money and awareness for men’s health. Understandably, a central focus of the campaign is prostate cancer- one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies in the male population, the occurrence of which has substantially risen over the past few decades.
Prelude to the problem: Rising cases of prostate cancer
According to a study conducted by the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the third leading cause of cancer related death in American men, just marginally behind skin and lung cancer. It is estimated that one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives. In 2017, it is anticipated that 161,360 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed, thus accounting for 20% of the overall cancer diagnoses in males, and approximately 26,730 deaths will result from the disease.
The sheer number of prostate cancer cases explains why governments and research organizations around the world are diligently working for an effective medication for this disease. Over the past 40 years, prostate cancer survival rates for the 10-year period have tripled to almost 95%, thanks to a wide array of treatment options and better disease detection methods, illustrating that this kind of cancer can often be efficaciously treated.
The castration-resistant prostate cancer treatment market is on the verge of considerable transformation with the imminent arrival of breakthrough technologies in diagnosing and new prostate cancer treatment options that will eventually prolong the patient’s life. According to a recent market research report published by Technavio, the global market for prostate cancer treatment methodologies is projected to accrue at a rapid pace in the next five years.
What’s new?: Latest innovations in prostate cancer diagnosis
From fusion biopsy to molecular pathology and advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), the recent innovations in imaging technology hinges on the fact that specific characteristics of a prostate tumor can now be precisely measured. Consequently, these sensitive technologies can potentially be used to spot the existence of tumorous cells in the body at an earlier stage, which means treatment can be started early and the same is likely to be more effective. In recent times, the following three revolutionary technologies have made the detection and management of prostate cancer simpler, effective and less time consuming.
1) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technology
Until recently, most specialists had been skeptical that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could be deployed on a widespread basis to identify and isolate prostate cancer with any degree of reliability. MRI staging, and diagnosing was sometimes akin to a coin toss, as the accuracy and reliability of imaging mainly relied on the experience and skills of the radiologist.
However today, MRI technology has improved considerably, and some experts believe that it may be time to reevaluate the former’s role in charting treatment decisions. The new generation MRI devices, coupled with additional technological gear including contrast enhancement and special processing are largely being used in imaging centers to generate remarkably clear images of the prostate. These images can reveal tiny details in color, allowing radiologists to determine exactly where a tumor is in the prostate gland.
2) Fusion Biopsy: A blend of MRI and Ultrasound
New technology, known as MRI Ultrasound Fusion-Guided Biopsy, is grabbing headlines and saving lives as it helps the doctors perform more precise prostate biopsies. The system which is often called as ‘fusion biopsy,’ allows radiologists and urologists to blend ultrasound imaging and MRI to detect areas of potentially diseased tissue and target biopsies with greater precision.
Fusion biopsy technology is one of the most exciting recent advances in the world of prostate cancer research and diagnosis. This technology combines real-time ultrasound with multi-parametric MRI to provide a 3D visualization of the prostate that enables clinicians to seamlessly track and target suspicious areas during prostate biopsies. MRI-ultrasound fusion is highly efficient in diagnosing prostate cancer with greater accuracy while avoiding unnecessary invasive biopsy procedures.
3) Catching the cancer’s first hints with Biomarkers
Since the time when Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) was introduced for diagnosing prostate cancer, many biomarker tests have been developed and deployed in the market. Herein, the main goal is to overcome the limitations of PSA and enhance the detection of prostate cancer. In an ideal world, these biomarker tests will be non-invasive and have 100% accuracy.
Initially, biomarkers diagnosis only included compounds such as PCA3 and PHI. However, today, the scenario is different, and the new generation tests include SelectMDx, ConfirmMDx, and 4Kscore, fundamental formulas that have evolved to combine biomarkers with clinical data and churn out the associated risk scores. It is no surprise that these new examinations have an improved precision to find clinically significant malignancy as compared to the older, legacy tests.
Big players, bigger markets, mega opportunities
By and large, it is no surprise that the innovations in the area of prostate cancer therapies and continuous approval of these new technologies is lifting the global prostate cancer treatment market to greater heights. Brands like Janssen biotech, Sanofi-Aventis, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, and Bayer AG are playing a big part in the overall growth and development of this industry, while the streak of innovation based dominance ensures that the doors to opportunities are always open to anyone with the winning configurations.
