The results of a Phase III randomized clinical trial have shown that when it comes to detecting clinically significant prostate cancer, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with targeted biopsies (MRI-TBx) matches the current standard and brings a multitude of advantages. The PRostate Evaluation for Clinically Important Disease: MRI vs Standard Evaluation Procedures (PRECISE) study will help to make prostate cancer diagnosis more accurate and less invasive.
PRECISE included 453 participants at Canadian academic cancer centres who were either assigned to receive MRI imaging followed by MRI-TBx of suspicious areas (identified by MRI), or the current standard of care of a systematic 12-core transrectal ultrasound-guided (TRUS) biopsy (TRUS-Bx).
These findings show decisively that MRI together with targeted biopsies offer patients a less invasive procedure, the chance to avoid a biopsy all together and can help avoid the over-treatment of clinically insignificant prostate cancer—all while detecting a higher rate of clinically significant cancers.
“My colleagues and I are thrilled about these results that show, without a doubt, that imaging and targeted biopsies are the future of prostate cancer diagnosis. We can catch more of the cancers we should be treating, avoid unnecessary treatment at the same time and improve the quality of life for our patients.” says Dr. Laurence Klotz, Chair of Prostate Cancer Research at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and lead author of the study. “We thank the study participants and our funders for their support and look forward to continuing our efforts to have this technology used more widely.”
“I congratulate Dr. Klotz and the PRECISE team on this truly impactful research which will change clinical care and make a difference for men with prostate cancer,” says Dr. Christine Williams, Deputy Director and Head, Clinical Translation at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research. “It is a great example of how, with our partners, we are moving research innovations to the clinic to improve the lives of patients and treat cancer with improved precision.”
“These practice-changing results will have a significant and positive impact on the roughly 64 Canadians who are diagnosed with prostate cancer every day. Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Klotz and his team, people will need to undergo fewer biopsies and for some of them, they will be spared from unnecessary biopsies and treatments altogether,” says Dr. Stuart Edmonds, Executive Vice President, Mission, Research and Advocacy at the Canadian Cancer Society. “We are proud to support this research, which will help people with prostate cancer live longer, fuller lives.”
“At Movember, we are honoured to play a role in funding cutting-edge research like the PRECISE study, ultimately helping to provide more positive outcomes for men living with or beyond a prostate cancer diagnosis,” says Todd Minerson, Country Director for Movember Canada.
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