Nowadays, questions have been raised about rushing into taking biopsies of the prostate, and the subsequent need for surgical removal of the prostate or use of radiotherapy. This is firstly because metastases can develop due to cancer cells finding their way into the blood stream during the surgical intervention. Secondly, the therapy may have rather serious side effects, with slow-growing tumors posing a low risk, especially in older patients. In the early stages of the disease, when the cancer is still limited to the prostate, it may be more beneficial to avoid treatment in favor of close monitoring of the tumor. This procedure is known as “active surveillance”, or „watch and wait“. maintrac^® can contribute in this particular situation to longterm-monitoring with cell counts being carried out every 3 to 6 months depending on the specific circumstances.

If lymph nodes are already affected, or distant metastases are detected, then local radiation therapy and surgical interventions in many cases no longer suffice. Since prostate cancer growth is stimulated by the hormone testosterone, it can be of benefit to involve hormone therapy in the treatment process. The aim of the hormone treatment is to lower testosterone levels. Drugs which bind with the androgen receptor, the receptor for testosterone, blocking the effects of testosterone, are called anti-androgens. With maintrac^®, the androgen receptor status of the circulating tumor cells can be determined. This can be useful for the primary oncologist when making a decision for or against an anti-androgen therapy. If this form of therapy does not prove very effective (castration-resistant tumor), then chemotherapy can also be considered. Whether the medicines used achieve the desired effect can be tested in advance on the circulating tumor cells by using maintrac^® analysis.