The current and future role of sequence-based analysis in prostate cancer treatment

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed, nondermatologic malignancy in US men. Localized disease can be managed through active surveillance or curative, locally directed therapies, but 30% of men treated with surgery or radiation will need additional (often systemic) treatment for relapsed disease. While spectacular advances in medical treatment of advanced prostate cancer have improved the quality and duration of patients’ lives, metastatic prostate cancer remains an incurable, lethal disease that requires additional therapies and better treatment strategies. The advent of ultra-high-throughput sequencing technology provides an opportunity to comprehensively assess the constellation of genetic and molecular events underlying each patient’s tumor, and promises to enhance our ability to deliver specifically tailored personalized treatment to men with prostate cancer. The known biological and clinical heterogeneity of prostate cancer presents both opportunities and challenges to the application and utilization of sequence-based analysis to guide prostate cancer treatment.