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Significant developments ∈a new urine test for prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers among men. Although there are effective treatments, such as radiotherapy and surgery for localized prostate cancer, men diagnosed with more progressive prostate cancer have a poorer prognosis. Therefore, a sensitive and specific screening test to detect prostate cancer ∈ its early states is urgently needed.
Currently, serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels and digital rectal examinations have been used as the screening and diagnostic tools for prostate cancer. However, researchers believe that a simple, non-invasive technique using urine can be a more sensitive and specific way to detect the early stages of the disease. Urine contains more than two thousand different metabolites and can provide clues to the human body’s metabolism, including the disordered metabolism of cancer cells.
Researchers ∈ the United States have taken the opportunity to develop a new urine test for prostate cancer based on the metabolite profile and RNA sequencing found ∈ prostate cancer-specific urine. The researchers took an approach that only required one single pass of urine, without the need for prostatic massage prior, to prove their principle that a simple urine sample could be sufficient for the identification of prostate cancer biomarkers.
Metabolic profiles of patients without cancer were taken and compared with metabolic profiles of patients with prostate cancer to identify metabolic changes and prostate cancerspecific biomarkers. The findings are the first to report a distinct prostate cancer profile from altered metabolic pathways ∈ patient urine samples that can be differentiated between patients with normal prostates and benign prostatic hyperplasia (benign enlargement of the prostate).
The researchers conclude that their findings are a significant discovery to developing a new urine test for prostate cancer that is simple, non-invasive and convenient. The study’s proof-of-concept should be further tested and validated ∈ larger sample sizes before it can be clinically implemented.
Adaptado de: https://medicalnewsbulletin.com/significantdevelopments-made-in-developing-a-new-urine-test-for-prostatecancer/ Acessado em 15 de novembro de 2020.
Prostate cancer
