Prostate Cancer Risk Stratification via PDE4D7 and DHX9 Gene Expression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for pre-surgical risk stratification of prostate cancer subjects are inadequate in accurately predicting the aggressiveness of individual tumors, leading to unnecessary procedures and side effects.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the determination of gene expression profiles for phosphodiesterase 4D variant 7 (PDE4D7) and DExH-box helicase 9 (DHX9) in biological samples, followed by the calculation of a pre-surgical prognostic risk score to improve tumor aggressiveness prediction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If routine diagnosis methods (PSA, DRE, TRUS) are used for prostate cancer screening, then the detection rate of prostate cancer increases, but the number of unnecessary biopsies and side effects increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing risk stratification using PDE4D7 and DHX9 gene expression analysis before conducting prostate biopsies. The method determines gene expression profiles from tissue samples, calculates risk scores, and stratifies patients into low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups. This preliminary assessment identifies patients who would benefit most from biopsy, thereby reducing unnecessary procedures while maintaining detection accuracy for aggressive cancers.
2Reliability
If radical prostatectomy is performed for localized prostate cancer, then cancer cure rate improves, but urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction rates increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing differentiated treatment recommendations based on individual risk stratification. Instead of uniform treatment for all localized cancer patients, the method assigns specific treatment pathways: active surveillance for low-risk patients, and radical prostatectomy or radiation for high-risk patients. This localized approach ensures that aggressive treatments are reserved for patients who need them most, thereby reducing unnecessary treatment-related side effects while maintaining cancer cure rates.
3Measurement precision
If gene expression profiling for PDE4D7 and DHX9 is performed, then pre-surgical risk prediction accuracy improves, but the complexity of the diagnostic process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the diagnostic process into distinct, manageable modules: (1) tissue sample acquisition, (2) RNA extraction and quality assessment, (3) quantitative RT-PCR analysis for PDE4D7 and DHX9, (4) risk score calculation, and (5) risk stratification. This segmented approach makes the complex gene expression profiling process more systematic and implementable in clinical settings, improving risk prediction accuracy while maintaining procedural manageability.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method of pre-surgical risk stratification of a prostate cancer subject, comprising determining a gene expression profile for phosphodiesterase 4D variant 7 (PDE4D7) in a biological sample obtained from the subject, determining a gene expression profile for DExH-box helicase 9 (DHX9) in the same or another biological sample obtained from the subject, and determining a pre-surgical prognostic risk score for the subject based on the gene expression profile for PDE4D7 and the gene expression profile for DHX9. This may allow for an improved stratification of the subject in a pre-surgical setting that may result in better primary treatment decisions. For instance, the pre-surgical prognostic risk score may allow to make better recommendations on whether to select active surveillance vs. active intervention, e.g., radical prostatectomy, for certain sub-populations of prostate cancer patients.