A breakthrough in the diagnosis of prostate cancer?
A new kind of Test that uses a complex sugar, seems to be able to identify prostate cancer earlier and with greater accuracy. This could lead to the survival rate for prostate improve cancer.
In a recent study by the University of Birmingham, a Test was tried out, which is the sugar used to diagnose prostate cancer at an early stage. The results of the research work have been published in the English scientific journal “Advanced Functional Materials”.
Sugar for the diagnosis of cancer?
The new Test works by demonstrating sugars (called glycans) in the blood. These sugars are bound to protein molecules, which are also referred to as a PSA. It is already known that PSA change, if the cancer in your body. Certain types of Glycans are associated with various cancers, however, there was no technology to glycans prove reliable, timely and sufficiently specific, report the researchers.
New Test detects glycans effectively
The Team from the University of Birmingham’s School of Chemical Engineering has now developed a technique that, with the cancer associated glycans with unprecedented accuracy can be detected. This new technology has already been patented.
Only four of the 56 glycans are associated with prostate cancer
Of particular interest to the new Test, the ability to locate glycans with a very high specificity. A PSA molecule 56 different sugars can be bound, but only four of them are associated with prostate cancer, report the researchers. The new Test allows to identify these four sugar with the security. The number of identified glycans not only whether cancer is present, but also how aggressive or advanced the cancer is.
How often false results in the case of prostate cancer tests?
A new Test for prostate cancer is urgently needed because the current Tests are only able to give a hint to an increased PSA-value in blood samples. This can, however, result in approximately 50 percent of cases, to false positive results. This is because the PSA level of a man can be elevated for various reasons. These reasons need not be related necessarily with cancer, explains the research group. In addition, about 25 percent of prostate cancer men were not of an elevated PSA value. In these individuals, the Test can not diagnose the disease.
Incorrect results lead to unnecessary investigations
Many men undergo the PSA Test, received a wrong diagnosis, this leads to the fact that they are sent to further, more invasive Tests, which can be for affected men a very negative impact and leads to high health care costs.
Glycans enable a more precise diagnosis
Equally troubling, many men with prostate cancer low PSA-values, which are not observed in Tests. By measuring the glycans, however, much more precise diagnosis can be created. Not only cancer can be detected at an earlier stage, but also to determine how aggressive the cancer is.
You can find the new technology also ovarian cancer?
The Team hopes the technology can also for the diagnosis of other cancer types, and has already begun with the development of a test for ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is typically detected in a very late stage, with the result that the treatment options are often very limited and the survival rate is therefore very low fails, explain the researchers.
Conclusion of the study
An early and accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer is critical to ensure that the Ekrankung can be successfully treated. The new Test allows for earlier diagnosis and helps to assess how aggressive the prostate cancer is. This also allows conclusions to be drawn on what people urgently need treatment and for what people the cancer is less aggressive, so that may be only one observation is necessary, report the researchers. (as)