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Our final Know Your Risk video looks at MMS22L and BIK, two emerging genes that are still being studied. Dr. Brian Helfand explains why these findings are best considered alongside other important factors, including PSA, biopsy results, grade group, MRI findings, and family history. Together, this information can help your doctor develop a more complete picture of your individual risk and guide the conversation around next steps.

That’s a wrap on this month’s Know Your Risk series. Thank you for following along as Dr. Helfand helped make prostate cancer genetics a little easier to understand.

This installment of Know Your Risk covers MMS22L and BIK, two emerging genes in prostate cancer research where the evidence is still developing. Dr. Brian Helfand emphasizes why these results call for cautious interpretation, particularly for MMS22L's connection to DNA repair biology, and why neither should be treated as a stand-alone, management-changing finding. He also stresses that these results should always be read in context alongside PSA, grade group, MRI findings, and family history. As genetics research advances, careful interpretation remains key to using new findings responsibly.

This installment of Know Your Risk covers HSD3B1, a gene tied to how the body responds to hormone therapy rather than inherited cancer risk. Dr. Brian Helfand explains why this result matters most if hormone therapy becomes part of your treatment plan, as it may offer insight into how your body responds over time. He also emphasizes that hormone therapy affects more than the cancer itself, touching on bone, heart, and metabolic health, so long-term planning matters too. Understanding this result now can help your care team plan several steps ahead.

The next Know Your Risk video shifts focus to HSD3B1, a gene tied not to hereditary risk but to hormone sensitivity and androgen deprivation therapy response. Dr. Brian Helfand explains why this result is best understood as a hormone-response marker rather than a stand-alone treatment driver, and how it can inform long-term planning for patients likely to need extended hormone therapy. He also touches on why survivorship matters here, since prolonged hormone therapy raises considerations around bone, cardiovascular, and metabolic health.

This week's Know Your Risk video tackles a phrase that can sound alarming: "lethal prostate cancer genes." Dr. Brian Helfand explains that a result here doesn't mean your cancer is automatically dangerous, it means certain findings may signal your case deserves closer attention. He spends extra time on KLK3, the gene connected to PSA itself, and why that makes it uniquely relevant to how your prostate cancer risk and behavior are assessed. Watch to learn why this result shouldn't cause alarm, but can help guide a more careful, personalized plan.

The latest in Know Your Risk with Dr. Brian Helfand focuses on germline findings tied to ATM, BRCA2, and KLK3, genes associated with higher risk for aggressive or potentially lethal prostate cancer. Dr. Helfand explains why these results carry particular weight for newly diagnosed patients, since they may signal more concerning disease biology even when traditional markers like PSA and grade group suggest lower risk. He walks through how this can shape decisions around active surveillance, from closer follow-up and additional imaging to a more careful conversation about definitive treatment. The takeaway: these findings aren't destiny, but they can help identify patients who need a more individualized management plan.

In this installment of Know Your Risk, Dr. Brian Helfand explains what it means if your genetic result involves a DNA repair gene, information that's often tied to PARP inhibitors and advanced treatment, but can matter much earlier too. If you haven't been diagnosed, this result may point to a higher inherited risk and help guide when screening should start. If you're newly diagnosed, it may say something about how your cancer could behave, prompting your doctor to look closely at your full picture rather than changing treatment automatically. For those with advanced disease, this same result may open the door to targeted treatments or clinical trials.