Prostate cancer is a major killer solid cancer in UK. Many tests have been devised, because of more false positive or false negative results. It is difficult to rule out possibility of malignancy of prostate in inconclusive cases or in case of boarder line values from tests. Many tests are invasive, be it prostate biopsy or a blood test.
At present prostate malignancy can be confirmed after a per rectal finger examination following symptoms of prostate enlargement if;
- Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of tissue becomes positive.
- High Prostate specific antigen (PSA) (more than 10 nanograms/milliliter).
- Urine tests for prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) is positive.
- Ratio of free PSA to total PSA less than 25%.
- Trans-rectal ultrasonogram shows abnormalities.
Bladder and Prostate But difficulty arises when FNAC could not reach the target point in a small cancer tissue or PSA test remains in between 4 to 10 nanograms/ milliliter. It has also been seen that low PSA value does not entirely rule out prostate cancer.
Now researchers studied a protein called mocroseminoprotein-Beta (MSMB) which is normally found in abundance in normal prostate tissue, and is decreased in malignancy; thus the level in urine is reflected too.
They hope that this protein may work as a biomarker for evaluating prostate cancer risk, response to therapies and diagnosis. Besides it is easy, non-invasive and simple to perform.
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