The P Test may detect prostate cancer

A revolutionary test which can detect prostate cancer in men's urine has been launched. Doctors hope the check will make diagnosing the disease easier, without the need for painful biopsies.

The current Prostate Specific Antigen test, looks for raised levels of protein in the blood, is notorious for providing misleading results. It means patients often have to have repeat biopsies which carry a risk of infection and often do not provide a definitive result.

The new test measures the levels of a chemical produced by the PCA3 gene- linked to prostate cancer- in urine, making it considerably more accurate.

The test costs about £200 and is not yet available on the NHS. It can be obtained through the patient's urologist, after a sample has been produced it will be sent off for testing.

The test is called the Progensa PCS3 Test.The manufacturer's web site is here : http://www.progensapca3.net

This article was published on Wed 26 September 2007