A big part of determining which treatment to pursue is determining how fast the cancer is growing. Unfortunately, this is not yet a precise science. Age also plays a role. It's more aggressive than that in men in their 70s and 80s. Here, genes that seem to promote the growth of tumors are turned on while genes that suppress growth are turned off.
Researchers are hopeful that they can develop drugs to reverse the switching process.
If this is the case, a new breast-cancer drug, Herceptin, may be able to help men with advanced prostate cancer as well. There are clinical trials under way in several other areas. The incidence and mortality rates of prostate cancer among African-American men is the highest in the world and twice that of white American men. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution, or retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the express written consent of Tallahassee Democrat is prohibited.