The androgen receptor (AR) is a protein inside prostate cells that receives signals from male hormones called androgens, the most important of which is testosterone. These signals tell prostate cells to grow and divide. Almost all prostate cancers depend on this androgen signal to grow, which is why treatments that lower androgen levels or block …
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Mismatch repair (MMR) and microsatellite instability (MSI) testing tell your doctor whether the DNA repair system inside a prostate cancer is working normally or has broken down. When that repair system fails, cancer cells accumulate many genetic errors, and those errors can make them sensitive to a type of treatment called immunotherapy. The same test …
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BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes whose normal job is to repair damaged DNA and prevent cells from becoming cancerous. When one of these genes carries a harmful mutation, meaning a change in the gene’s DNA sequence that stops it from working the way it should, that protective function is lost, and the risk of developing …
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If your blood test or bone marrow report mentions BCR::ABL1 or the Philadelphia chromosome, these refer to the same genetic change — a mistake in the DNA of a blood-forming cell that causes it to produce a new, abnormal protein. That protein drives the uncontrolled growth of white blood cells seen in chronic myeloid leukemia …
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If your pathology report or molecular test results mention a RAS mutation — most commonly NRAS, HRAS, or KRAS — this refers to a change in one of three closely related genes that help control how thyroid cells grow and divide. RAS mutations are among the most common molecular findings in thyroid cancer and in …
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Genetic testing is becoming an increasingly common part of cancer care. However, it exists in two very different forms that are often confused — and this confusion is important because the results can have very different implications. One type of genetic test looks at the DNA of the cancer cells themselves, looking for changes that …
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TERT is a gene that provides instructions for making part of an enzyme called telomerase. Telomerase helps maintain structures called telomeres, which protect the ends of chromosomes. TERT is considered a biomarker. A biomarker is a measurable feature in a tumour, such as a gene change, that helps doctors understand how a cancer behaves and …
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MYC is a gene that provides instructions for making the MYC protein, which plays a major role in controlling how cells grow, divide, and use energy. MYC is considered a biomarker. A biomarker is a measurable feature in a tumour, such as a gene change or protein abnormality, that helps doctors understand how a cancer …
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BCL6 is a gene that provides instructions for making the BCL6 protein, which acts as a transcription factor. A transcription factor is a protein that controls which genes inside a cell are turned on or off. BCL6 is considered a biomarker. A biomarker is a measurable feature in a tumour, such as a gene change …
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RET is a gene that provides instructions for making a protein involved in cell growth and development. The RET protein acts as a receptor on the surface of specific cells, where it receives signals that help control how cells grow, divide, and survive. RET is considered a biomarker. A biomarker is a measurable feature in …
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