What should you know about HRR prostate cancer?

HRR stands for homologous recombination repair. An HRR finding may come from tumour testing, inherited testing, or both, and the result does not by itself describe how advanced the cancer is. Your oncology team combines the result with the cancer's grade, spread, previous treatment, symptoms, and overall health.

Repair genes help correct certain breaks and errors in DNA. When an HRR gene is altered, prostate cancer cells may handle DNA damage differently. The report may name a specific gene and may state whether the finding is inherited, acquired only in the tumour, or uncertain. These categories have different implications.

An inherited finding can matter to close relatives because it may be relevant to family risk. A tumour-only finding generally describes the cancer sample rather than your whole body. Ask whether genetic counselling and testing for relatives are appropriate, and ask what the laboratory's wording means before drawing conclusions.

Keep a copy of the pathology and genetic reports and ask which result is being used for treatment planning. Your team may discuss hormone treatment, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, or medicines selected for the cancer's molecular features. The choice depends on the complete clinical picture, not on the HRR label alone.

Tell the team about urinary symptoms, new pain, numbness, weakness, medicines, and any family history of cancer. Treatment may involve prostate removal surgery, radiotherapy, brachytherapy, or targeted radioisotope therapy in appropriate circumstances. Bone-strengthening therapy may be considered when bone health or cancer affecting bone is part of the care plan.

Contact your oncology or urology team promptly if passing urine becomes increasingly difficult, you cannot empty your bladder, or you see blood in your urine. Seek urgent medical help for new severe back or neck pain, new leg weakness or numbness, or loss of bladder or bowel control, because these symptoms can need rapid assessment.

Do not wait for a routine appointment if symptoms are sudden, severe, or rapidly worsening. Difficulty passing urine can have several causes, so the symptom needs assessment rather than being treated as proof of cancer progression.

Ask: Which HRR gene is involved, and was the finding from the tumour, blood, or both? Could this result be inherited? What does it change about the available treatment choices now? What symptoms should prompt an urgent call? Would genetic counselling, family testing, or a second pathology review help clarify the result?