A French research group is working on a prostate cancer screening test that is less painful and faster than biopsies. They have just obtained funding from the European Research Council.
Prostate cancer is the most common in men. The blood test and palpation of the prostate are the first steps to detect it, but the diagnosis can only be established after a biopsy. A team of researchers from the Institut Curie and the CNRS, directed by Antonin Morillon, is working on the development of a urine test to determine the presence of cancer. The European Research Council has just awarded them a grant.
Often useless biopsies
Researchers have identified prostate cancer biomarkers using new technologies such as artificial intelligence or bioinformatics. Their analyzes enabled them to detect uncatalogued sequences of the genome that are more present in cases of prostate cancer. The test, called PROSTATOR, is made to be performed by a urologist, who sends the urine sample to a laboratory for analysis.
If positive, the patient will need to undergo a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. This new method should make it possible to avoid unnecessary examinations: of all the biopsies, only 45% confirm the presence of prostate cancer. The new screening tool should also prevent complications, as about 10% of men who undergo a biopsy suffer from a prostate infection as a result of the examination. According to the research team, PROSTATOR would also have an economic advantage by avoiding unnecessary examinations.
New trials to come
The test still needs to be improved before being tested on a sample of 1,000 men. If all the tests are validated, it could be put on the market within ten years.
In France, there was 54,000 new cases of prostate cancer in 2011. The disease is rare before the age of 50 but the risk increases with age.
.
