Daniel W. Lin, MD, professor, Department of Urology, chief, Urologic Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine, associate professor, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and physician, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses the limitations of curren

ly available biomarkers in prostate cancer.

Biomarkers that are ready for prime time are expected to be incorporated into standard genomic testing as they can be linked with available agents that have been proven to prolong survival and improve the quality of life in the long-term setting, ​says Lin. However, certain biomarkers in prostate cancer are not ready for prime time and thus, additional research is of critical importance.

Genomic testing ​with biomarkers can provide valuable knowledge and can ​help ​to guide treatment selection, says Lin. As the field continues to investigate this concept, the role of biomarkers should be explored in combination with other clinical variables and models, such as guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the American Urological Association, Lin concludes.

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Daniel W. Lin, MD, discusses the limitations of currently available biomarkers in prostate cancer.

Dr. Lin on the Limitations of Current Biomarkers in Prostate Cancer

Daniel W. Lin, MD, professor, Department of Urology, chief, Urologic Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine, associate professor, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and physician, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses the importance of biomarker research in prostate cancer.

Biomarkers are becoming more relevant in tailoring treatment to individual patients with prostate cancer​. However, a misconception is that biomarkers alone can provide exact ​clinical solution​s, which is not always the case, Lin says. Although biomarkers often play a key role in treatment selection, they don’t always predict exact outcome​s, ​says Lin. ​Rather, biomarkers can inform potential outcomes ​and estimate risk, Lin explains.

Moreover, there are several cases where ​established cancer models are more predictive than biomarkers​, Lins says. As such, future research efforts must evaluate the utility of these strategies in combination, Lin emphasizes. Doing so could result in more accurate predictions, as well as improved patient outcomes, Lin concludes.

Daniel W. Lin, MD, discusses the importance of biomarker research in prostate cancer.








Dr. Lin on the Importance of Biomarker Research in Prostate Cancer

Daniel W. Lin, MD, professor, Department of Urology, chief, Urologic Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine, associate professor, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and physician, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses the role of genomic markers in prostate cancer. 

The field of genomic classifiers is broad and continuously expanding, Lin says.

Germline markers are inherited mutations, explains Lin. Conversely, somatic markers are present in the tumor tissue. 

The field is now incorporating markers in circulating tumor DNA and cell-free DNA to further expand the capacities of genomic classification, Lin says. 

 Prostate Cancer Foundation Virtual Scientific Retreat, Lin participated in a debate regarding the utility of prostate cancer genomic classifiers with Daniel Spratt, MD. The debate focused on tissue-based markers that are present in earlier-stage disease compared with late-stage disease, concludes Lin. 

Daniel W. Lin, MD, discusses the role of genomic markers in prostate cancer. 



Daniel W. Lin, MD

Articles

Dr. Lin on the Limitations of Current Biomarkers in Prostate Cancer

Dr. Lin on the Importance of Biomarker Research in Prostate Cancer

Dr. Lin on the Role of Genomic Markers in Prostate Cancer