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Article: "Hedgehog" signal distinguishes lethal from localized prostate tumors.
- Article from:
- Biotech Week
- Article date:
- October 6, 2004
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2004 OCT 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered a possible way to distinguish lethal metastatic prostate cancers from those restricted to the walnut-size organ.
If future studies show their test - measuring the level of activity of a signaling pathway called Hedgehog - can predict which prostate cancers will spread, the results could revolutionize decision-making processes for prostate cancer patients, the researchers said.
Most prostate cancers grow slowly, making "watchful waiting" a common alternative to immediate surgical removal of the prostate. However, there's no sure-fire way to tell whose cancer will stay put ...