Deadly prostate cancers could be caught sooner after researchers discovered telltale genetic ‘footprints’ behind almost nine in ten tumours.

Experts described the findings as ‘hugely exciting’, saying the discovery could one day lead to men being offered more personalised treatment.

The new study, published in the journal Nature, saw scientists examine tumour samples of 959 men.

They identified eight distinct genetic ‘footprints’ that account for around 85 per cent of prostate cancers.

And four of these were linked to cancers that were more likely to spread outside of the prostate.

Experts said these ‘important new clues’ about the biological mechanisms behind the disease could lead to developments for better tests and earlier identification of high-risk cancers.

The new study, from the Pan Prostate Cancer Group (PPCG), a global collaborative, also found other footprints were linked to age and ancestry, including patterns that were more common in black men.

Ros Eeles, professor of oncogenetics at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and co-founder of the PPCG, said: ‘For many years we’ve known that prostate cancer is not a single disease.

Scientists identified eight distinct genetic ‘footprints’ that account for around 85 per cent of prostate cancers.

‘Two men may receive the same diagnosis but have cancers that develop and behave very differently, and we have not fully understood the biology behind those differences.

‘Some of these findings are helping us understand aggressive disease, while others are revealing entirely new avenues for research.

‘Most importantly, this work brings us closer to identifying distinct molecular forms of prostate cancer.

‘Our long-term goal is to help ensure that patients receive the right treatment at the right time, based on the biology of their individual cancer rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.’

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in Britain, with 63,000 cases and 12,000 deaths every year – one every 45 minutes.

Many are diagnosed too late for treatment to succeed.

Black men face a one in four lifetime risk, double that of the general population, and men whose fathers or brothers have had the disease face a similar threat.

The Daily Mail is campaigning to end needless prostate cancer deaths and for a national prostate cancer screening programme, initially targeted at high-risk men, such as those who are black, have a family history of the disease or specific genetic mutations.

Colin Cooper, professor of cancer genetics at the University of East Anglia and co-founder of the PPCG, said: ‘The scale of collaboration has helped uncover important new clues about the biological processes that drive prostate cancer and why some forms are more aggressive than others.

‘Taken together, these findings are helping us build a much clearer picture of why some cancers remain slow growing while others become life-threatening.

‘Ultimately, we hope this knowledge will lead to better tests, earlier identification of high-risk cancers and more personalised care, so that more patients receive the right treatment at the right time.’

Lead author of the new study, Professor Joachim Weischenfeldt, from the University of Copenhagen, added: ‘It is remarkable how much clinical significance these genetic fingerprints appear to have.

‘They can help distinguish between patients who are developing life-threatening cancer and those who are not.

‘While further clinical studies are needed before these findings can be used in patient care, they bring us a step closer to understanding the biology that drives aggressive prostate cancer and to delivering more personalised treatment for patients.’

Dr Hayley Luxton, from the charity Prostate Cancer UK, which co-funded the study, said: ‘At the moment, it’s not obvious which prostate cancers are more likely to spread outside the prostate, which makes it harder for men to receive the best treatment for their individual cancer.

‘These findings from the Pan Prostate Cancer Group are hugely exciting and could lead to men getting the personalised treatment they need for their prostate cancer.’