Researchers have identified distinct genetic "footprints" behind almost nine in ten prostate cancers, a discovery that could pave the way for earlier detection and more personalised treatment of the disease. The study, led by the global Pan Prostate Cancer Group (PPCG), found that certain patterns are linked to more aggressive tumours likely to spread beyond the prostate, offering scientists important clues about the biology driving different forms of the disease and raising hopes for better diagnostic tests in future.

Published in the journal Nature, the research examined tumour samples from 959 men and identified eight distinct genetic footprints accounting for around 85 per cent of prostate cancers, four of which were associated with a higher risk of the cancer spreading. Other footprints were found to be linked to age and ancestry, including patterns more common among black men. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in Britain, causing roughly 63,000 cases and 12,000 deaths annually, with black men facing double the average lifetime risk. Experts, including those from the Institute of Cancer Research and Prostate Cancer UK, said the findings, while requiring further clinical study, mark a significant step towards distinguishing dangerous cancers from slow-growing ones and tailoring treatment accordingly.