Updates on the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the second most prevalent cancer in males worldwide and the commonest cancer in males in the UK. The recent updates on the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer were discussed at a multidisciplinary day event organized by the British Institute of Radiology and held in London in November 2016. This day covered the use of the prostate-specific antigen biomarker and of advanced imaging techniques such as multiparametric and whole-body MRI, choline positron emission tomography/CT and gallium-labelled prostate-specific membrane antigen for the detection of prostate cancer. In addition, the results of several trials assessing the management of the disease were discussed, in particular the Prostate Cancer Intervention Versus Observation Trial and Prostate Testing for Cancer and Treatment trials which evaluated the gain of intervention vs observation, and four randomized controlled trials comparing hypofractionated and standard radiotherapy regimen. Further to this event, this commentary highlights the topical issues relating to recently published guidelines and to trials for the management of prostate cancer where these were discussed.