CRI听力:New Prostate Cancer Test

UK scientists claim they have made a major breakthrough in the early diagnosis of prostate cancer. A team from the University of Surrey has developed a new method of detecting the cancer, by testing a small sample of urine from men thought to be at risk. The method is considered to be much more reliable than the tests currently in use.

The team says it allows for faster testing that could save lives, thus offering the potential for huge cost savings.

Scientists working at this laboratory in Guildford have helped to identify a protein called Engrailed-2, or EN-2, which is only produced by prostate cancer cells and secreted in urine. It can be easily detected by the test, which is so simple it can be conducted in GP surgeries.

The scientists in Guildford and the Prostate Project Charity funded the research. They claim their new test is so accurate it could be used to screen all older men, identifying the cancer early and leading to better survival rates.

According to The Prostate Project, the existing prostate test-specific antigen, also known as the PSA blood test used for the last three decades is not definitive as a test and can lead to a delay in cancers being detected.

The University of Surrey claims its new test is around 10 times better than the existing PSA blood tests. The scientists claim that because their test uses urine, which can be more easily collected, and gives a far lower rate of false positives, it represents a vast improvement. Also, unlike some other urine based prostate tests, this method does not require stimulation of the prostate through rectal examination.

Dr Richard Morgan, who developed the test, says it is a significant step forward in detecting the most common male cancer.

"The early results are very encouraging, there are other screens used by the NHS, so for example the presence of blood in stool is used to screen for bowel cancer and I think the results for EN-2 are certainly as good as that type of screening test."

Tim Sharp is a trustee of The Prostate Project and as a man in his 70s, he has also had a PSA check. He says he has longed for the certainty the new urine test brings.

"Early treatment is absolutely the key to prostate cancer development, if you catch it early you've got better than an 80 per cent chance of a cure - if you catch it late then that drops down to 20 per cent."

The scientists' test could also help the UK government close the gap with the best performing European countries' cancer survival rates.

According to a parliamentary report, more than 10 years after the last government launched its NHS Cancer Plan, and almost five years after its Cancer Reform Strategy, the gap in survival rates between England and the best-performing European countries has not closed.

In some cases survival rates were more than 10% lower than elsewhere in Europe, Australia and Canada.

According to Department of Health estimates, 10,000 lives could be saved each year if the NHS in England matched the best in Europe.

For CRI, I am Li Dong.