Superior test for prostate cancer. That’s what she said!
Scientists at the University of Surrey identified a protein called EN-2, which is only produced by prostate cancer cells.
Studies show a test for the protein detects 60 to 70% of cancers.
But the false positive rate – men who are wrongly diagnosed with cancer – is just 4%.
On both counts, the new test is vastly superior to the existing PSA blood test, which detects fewer than 40% of cancers and has a false positive rate of over 50%.
- I love the bullet option for WordPress
- Will there be a role for PSA in the future? Well it is very good now for the detection of prostate cancer coming back after treatment.
- There is still the issue of “do you have the good kind or the bad kind.”
- You will still need to do a biopsy to prove that cancer exists. To my knowledge there is not a cancer , other than blood related cancers, that does not require tissue diagnosis. So…all you folks out there angry that your PSA was high and you had a biopsy that was negative, don’t be so happy yet. It will probably happen.
- If this test is available in the next few years it will probably be used with the PSA not replace it, as a confirmatory type test to further guide who gets a biopsy or not.
- Will urologists have to either learn to smell urine for cancer or have dogs on site that will sniff for cancer?
- How much will the test cost? Will insurances pay for it?
- Will Otis Brawley refuse to have his urine tested to make a point about prostate cancer and screening.
- Will Albin go along with it?
- Getting a urine specimen is easier than getting a blood sample…will that mean that even more false positive urine and biopsies will occur, i.e. better sensitivity but more are now done and then we are back into the screening “is it worth it” argument…
- Finally the old “proxy headline” to get attention…SUPERIOR TEST!—I fell for it.
- As for if it will be the next greatest thing …well we will just have to see if it is after the ole…”tincture of time.”
- And then this ” rationing of PSA’s in Britians NHS- The GP is the gate keeper not offering PSA’s to patients. Is someone higher up the governmental food chain telling them to do this?
Prostate Diaries 
If the PSA debate, in part fueled by Dr. Ablin, leads to urine/blood testing that provides a more accurate picture, all will be better served. Now that PSA velocity is being questioned, how will it impact the idea/adoption of active surveilance?
Keep up sharing the PCa world as you see it.
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very nicely stated….i continue to be impressed with the depth of knowledge of the folks that comment…did you see the comment on the nanoknife? if i had had a urine test tell me with “certainty” that my cancer would not progress then i would have chose surveillance…to me ” the majority” “most” type verbage would not have given me peace… thanks jm
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Just read the WSJ piece on the nanoknife, which I had not heard of before. My sense is market enthusiasim is ahead of sound scientific evidence. Earlier I watched the video of Dr. Paul Shellhammer presenting at last year’s US TOO conference.
http://www.ustoo.org/20thAnniversary_webcast.asp
His is 3rd from the bottom. His thoughts and take home messages and your blog help men gain a better understanding, hopefully a better grasp of what lies ahead. And that’s what they seek most. jr
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Only time will tell and until then PSA is still the only tool, besides the dreaded Digital Rectal Examination, available to physicians who treat men with potential Prostate cancer. So gentlemen do not take the undue risk of avoiding these procedures.
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