Scientists have developed a new blood test for prostate cancer which is 94% accurate. The test, called the Prostate Urine Risk (PUR) score, uses a combination of genetic markers to accurately identify prostate cancer in patients with a high risk of developing the disease. It is able to detect cancer earlier and more accurately than existing methods, reducing the need for biopsies and improving the accuracy of diagnosis. The test is also less expensive than current tests, making it an attractive option for patients.
Scientists have developed an ‘amazing’ new blood test for prostate cancer that is 94% accurate.
In collaboration with Imperial College and the University of East Anglia (UEA), Oxford BioDynamics found that when the test was combined with a standardized prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, more cases could be detected.
The research team published their findings in the journal Cancers, stating that the PSA test currently used by the NHS was not accurate enough. As a result, there have been numerous cases of unnecessary prostate biopsies in men without cancer. These tests have also “provided false reassurance in some men with cancer,” the study said.
A pilot study involving 147 patients evaluated the new test and concluded that it significantly improved detection of the disease. All of the men studied had prostate cancer, leading the research team to conclude that the accuracy is 94%.
In addition to being highly accurate, this new test is fast, minimally invasive and inexpensive. The next level of research will use the test in a group of men whose cancer status is unknown.
Prostate cancer occurs when cells in the prostate begin to grow out of control. In some cases, it can grow rapidly and spread to other areas of the body, necessitating treatment.
Prostate Cancer UK reports that more than 47,000 men are diagnosed with the disease in England each year. More than 10,000 of them lose their lives and across the UK around 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives.
Prostate Cancer UK reports that more than 47,000 men are diagnosed with the disease in England each year ((Alamy/PA))
However, it doesn’t always cause symptoms, which is why understanding the risk and getting tested is so important. In addition to back, hip or pelvic pain, some may have urinary problems, problems getting or keeping an erection, blood in their urine or semen, or in more advanced cases, unexplained weight loss.
Prostate cancer primarily affects men over 50, with the risk increasing with age. It’s even higher for black men and those with a family history of the disease.
According to Prostate Cancer UK, around 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime (Getty Images)
“There is currently no single test for prostate cancer, but PSA blood tests are among the most commonly used, along with physical exams, MRI scans and biopsies,” says Professor Dmitry Pshezhetskiy of UEA’s Norwich Medical School.
“However, PSA blood tests are not routinely used to screen for prostate cancer because the results can be unreliable. Only about a quarter of people who have a prostate biopsy because of an elevated PSA level have prostate cancer.
“There were therefore efforts to develop a new blood test with greater accuracy.
“When the PSE test is tested in the context of screening an at-risk population, it provides a rapid and minimally invasive prostate cancer diagnosis with impressive performance. This indicates a real benefit for both diagnostic and screening purposes.”
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