[Gene for hereditary prostatic cancer has been located. New possibilities for early identification of men at risk]

Prostate cancer is currently the most common malignancy among men in Sweden, and an estimated 5-10 per cent of cases are hereditary. Several epidemiological studies have shown men whose close relatives are affected to be at 2-4-fold increased risk of developing prostate cancer. In a recent genetic linkage study of 91 Swedish and North American families with hereditary prostate cancer, the first susceptibility locus, HPC 1 (hereditary prostate cancer 1), was localised at positions 1q24-25 on the long arm of chromosome 1. In Sweden, we recommend men with a strong family history of prostate cancer to undergo annual prostate-specific antigen testing and digital rectal examination from the age of 50.