Urine-Based Prostate Cancer Screening: Potential Tool for Early Detection and Diagnosis
Cracking the Code on Prostate Cancer:
Beating prostate cancer, a common men's health issue, is possible when caught early. However, the lack of reliable biomarkers makes early detection a clinical challenge.
Enter the new contender.
Recent research published in Cancer Research reveals a simple urine test using artificial intelligence (AI) and gene activity analysis could be the game changer.
Gene Work and AI: A Potent Pair
Researchers analyzed the mRNA activity across all human genes in thousands of individual tumor cells, each classified by cancer grade and location. Using AI, they identified proteins that could act as potential biomarkers.
These biomarkers were then tested in blood, prostate tissue, and urine samples from nearly 2,000 patients.
Martin Smelik, the study’s first author, explained the findings to Medical News Today, stating, “The key finding of this article is that prostate cancer can be effectively identified by analyzing the expression of candidate biomarkers in urine.”
Assaying the PSA Test
A specific set of urine-based biomarkers demonstrated stronger potential in detecting both the presence and severity of prostate cancer with greater accuracy than the current standard blood-based marker, PSA.
PSA, or prostate-specific antigen, is a protein found in the bloodstream that can indicate prostate cancer. However, high PSA levels can also be caused by an enlarged or inflamed prostate.
Onward to Trials and Implementation
Plans are underway for large-scale clinical trials to validate the findings and the potential inclusion of these novel biomarkers in a UK-wide prostate cancer study to accelerate testing and implementation.
Dr. Milan Sheth, a quadruple board-certified specialist, expressed excitement for this research, stating, “This discovery could potentially change the ways in which prostate cancer is not only diagnosed but can also be used as a more accurate screening mechanism, which we desperately need. And all this simply through a urine test."
This groundbreaking test may reduce unnecessary biopsies and offers the advantages of being non-invasive, painless, and cost-effective compared to current methods.
According to experts, these findings present an exciting area of research with potential to revolutionize prostate cancer diagnosis and screening.
- The lack of reliable biomarkers in prostate cancer makes early detection a clinical challenge.
- Recent research in Cancer Research uncovered a potential game-changer: a urine test using AI and gene activity analysis.
- Researchers identified proteins that could act as potential biomarkers by analyzing mRNA activity across all human genes in thousands of individual tumor cells.
- The biomarkers were tested in urine samples from nearly 2,000 patients and demonstrated stronger potential in detecting both the presence and severity of prostate cancer with greater accuracy than the current standard blood-based marker, PSA.
- PSA, or prostate-specific antigen, can indicate prostate cancer, but high levels can also be caused by an enlarged or inflamed prostate.
- Plans are underway for large-scale clinical trials to validate the findings and potentially include these novel biomarkers in a UK-wide prostate cancer study.
- This discovery could revolutionize prostate cancer diagnosis and screening, making it potentially more accurate and less invasive through a simple urine test.
- Experts are excited about this research as it presents an exciting area of science, with potential to address other medical-conditions like bladder cancer and other cancers, offering new biomarkers for health and wellness.
