“Prostate cancer may be written in some men’s genes, but so are instructions for discovering new treatments and understanding family risk,” says oncologist Channing Paller, M.D. “That’s why learning more about the genes of men with prostate cancer is so important.”

With scientist Heather Cheng, Ph.D., of the University of Washington, Paller is leading PROMISE, a new registry of patients with germline mutations in prostate cancer. “We will screen 5,000 patients all over the country,” Paller says. “For 500 patients with specific inherited mutations, we will provide them with information about new standard treatments, as well as precision medicine clinical trials that match their genetic mutation. The other patients can opt in to learn more about clinical trials and treatment. This study will help bring a personalized approach to the treatment of prostate cancer.”

PROMISE is sponsored by the Prostate Cancer Consortium. The study is free, and patients can participate from home: men enroll online, receive a DNA test kit, and send back a saliva sample. The DNA test detects 30 genes commonly associated with hereditary cancers.

“Men who participate will get free, medical-grade, hereditary cancer risk testing and access to a licensed genetic counselor to help them understand the results,” says Paller. For more information, go to prostatecancerPROMISE.org.