Germline genetic testing in prostate cancer – further enrichment in variant histologies?

The genetics and heritability of prostate cancer have been well studied and continue to be elucidated. Recently, germline mutations in homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair genes have been observed in a significant proportion of men with prostate cancer. Based on the pioneering work in breast and ovarian cancers, pharmacological targeting of the poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) enzyme has been shown to induce synthetic lethality in HR-deficient tumors. The discovery and characterization of germline HR mutations in prostate cancer patients may increase therapeutic options and lead to improved clinical outcomes