UK Genetic Prostate Cancer Study: Epidemiology and Molecular Genetics Studies

The UKGPCS was set up to find genetic alterations which occur in patients who have prostate cancer. A man's risk of developing prostate cancer increases if he has a first-degree relative (father or brother) who was diagnosed with prostate cancer at a young age. This is why we are looking for men who are affected at a young age or who have a family history of prostate cancer, since it is more probable that these prostate cancers are due to an inherited genetic cause rather than an environmental cause. We also ask all men who come to the Royal Marsden Hospital to be treated for prostate cancer if they would like to take part in the study so that we can also look to see if we find genetic alterations in older men, and those who do not have a family history of prostate cancer.