Research offers a new tool in the fight against advanced prostate cancer.
A reliable method of assessing a cancer patient's response to treatment is important. The U-M researchers studied 62 men with advanced prostate cancer and found that those whose PSA level declined 50 percent or more after eight weeks of chemotherapy had a significantly higher survival rate. They also have been used to gauge patients' response to cancer therapy, but that application has been controversial because opinions differ on its validity and precisely how to interpret test results. The study is detailed in the May issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.