Five-to-10-percent of all prostate cancers are hereditary, according to the National Institute of Health. And genetic testing can be an important step forward in the fight against prostate cancer, disease detection and in deciding a course of treatment for a patient who is newly diagnosed with prostate cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, there are several genetic mutations that may increase a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer.
Those include: BRAC1 and BRAC2 (also linked to breast cancer), CHEK2, ATM, PALB2 and HOXB13. Genetic testing can help a man access his risk for the disease.
Benefits of knowing your risk through genetic testing include knowing if you should begin screening at a younger age, telling other family members about the risk and looking for ways to lower your risk, including through diet and exercise.
For patients diagnosed with prostate cancer, genetic testing can help inform doctors about treatment options – like targeted drugs that only work for patients with certain genetic mutations.
While genetic testing gives patients and doctors knowledge, there are downsides. According to the National Cancer Institute there can be false positives, false negatives leading to a false sense of security and individuals acting on incorrect or incomplete information.
Yet, for most men, knowledge is power – for prevention and for treatment.
New Prostate Cancer Screening Combining Traditional Blood Tests with Biomarkers
That’s why researchers are using genetic testing along with traditional PSA blood tests to help identify the disease more accurately – eliminating unnecessary biopsies.
According to a study of 187 men published in Cancers 2025, a test called the EpiSwitch PSE blood test — which essentially combines a standard PSA blood test score with five epigenetic biomarkers improves cancer detection and reduces the need for biopsies by 79.1%.
“It enhances clinical decision making, minimizes patient risk, and offers significant healthcare cost savings,” the study says.
While additional research is needed, this study is a step in the right direction.
Prostate Cancer Symptoms and Treatments
If you develop symptoms of prostate cancer like erectile dysfunction, problems with urination, weight loss, blood in the urine, or pain in the back, hips or thighs – go see your doctor.
If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, there are different treatment options — depending on the type and stage of cancer, your age and your overall health — including surgery, chemotherapy, other drug therapies and radiation.
But before you make your decision, seek a second opinion from the experts at the CyberKnife Center of Miami, South Florida’s premiere outpatient radiology center for cancer where we treat patients with CyberKnife – state-of-the-art radiation for prostate and other cancers.
CyberKnife Miami for Prostate Cancer Care
CyberKnife is a form of stereotactic body radiation therapy or SBRT. It has a 95% success rate for prostate cancer when detected early.
That’s just one reason more than 20,000 men have been treated with CyberKnife according to Accuray, the company that makes CyberKnife.
CyberKnife is non-invasive, treatment has little downtime, and it can be completed in five treatments over just 10 days. Traditional radiation takes 42 treatments over three months. Plus, CyberKnife radiation beams, which target and destroy the tumor, have pinpoint accuracy.
That means there are less risks of side effects including impotence and incontinence. For most men, who are looking for alternative treatment options for prostate cancer, that’s a big relief.
If you or someone you love is diagnosed with prostate cancer, contact the experts at CyberKnife Miami for a consultation. We treat patients from across South Florida, the United States and even around the world.
If you would like to find out more about prostate cancer treatment with CyberKnife, call us at 305-279-2900 or go to our prostate cancer website now for more information.