Genetic alterations associated with prostate cancer

A method for screening for the presence or absence of genetic alterations correlated with the presence of prostate cancer cells in a sample, the method comprising:

• contacting a nucleic acid sample from an African American human patient with a probe which binds selectively to a target polynucleotide sequence on a genomic region in which copy number, from about 4q25 to about 4q28, is increased in prostate cells;
• and
• wherein the probe is contacted with the sample under conditions in which the probe binds selectively with the target polynucleotide sequence to form a stable hybridization complex and detecting the formation of a hybridization complex;
• and;
• detecting the presence or absence of a hybridization complex thereby screening for the presence or absence of a genetic alteration correlated with the presence of prostate cancer cells in the sample.