Cancer Biomarker--arguably with blood tests--could improve prostate cancer detection

A new study supports the use of a DNA-based blood test "biomarker" as a complement to the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test currently offered to screen men for prostate cancer. Researchers from the University of Cincinnati (UC) report their findings online ahead of print in the British Journal of Cancer.

Researchers performed a meta-analysis of existing published data regarding DNA methylation in body fluids. The goal was to a certain cancer biomarker-known as study-as a tool for screening for prostate cancer.

The study was a cross-disciplinary collaboration effort of UC molecular epidemiologist Tianying Wu, MD, PhD, epigenetic expert and UC environmental health Chair Shuk-Mei Ho, PhD, former UC environmental health post-doc Wang-Tang Yee, PhD, UC statistician Jeff Welge and Harvard Cancer epidemiologist Edward Giovannucci, m.d.. Wu of postdoc Palash Mallick, PhD, also contributed to the study.

Wu merged epidemiological and molecular data from 22 studies performed in the United States and Europe between 2000 and 2009. More than 2,000 human biological samples (1,635 prostate cancer cases and 573 controls) were for the current study, including whole blood, plasma, urine and other secretions, ejaculates analysed.

Wu provides that studying a statistically significant biomarker for prostate cancer was and the specificity of the diagnosis of prostate cancer can increase up to 70% compared to the use of the PSA test only.

"The PSA test is very sensitive, but it cannot differentiate between prostate cancer and benign prostate conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia, leads many men that unnecessary biopsies," says Wu, author of the study and Assistant professor of environmental health lead at UC.

"It is unlikely that we have a tag that has the same sensitivity as PSA would find," she adds, "but finding a very specific circulating biomarker as study which complements the PSA test can significantly improve the accuracy of detecting prostate cancer patients before recommending an invasive biopsy."

Changes to the process of DNA methylation are associated with cancer tumor growth and changes in body fluids can be observed. DNA Methylation study is mainly associated with prostate cancer and can be detected in the bloodstream using standardized high throughput molecular biology techniques

"GSTPI the measurement of plasma or urine is a simple and non-invasive test. This will give doctors biomarker reassurance greetings to or to perform biopsies in selected patients, "adds Wu.

Funding for this project was provided through a number of sources, including the National Cancer Institute, UC's Center for environmental genetics and clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with additional support from Ho's NIH grants and Wu from start-up research funds.

Article reference:
University of Cincinnati academic health center