Urine Test Stratifies Prostate Cancer Risk

A urine test based on biomarkers may soon be available to aid in the early detection and treatment of prostate cancer.

A novel urine test has been designed to identify two genetic markers that are known to be present in prostate cancer patients complementing the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test.

Scientists working in the University of Michigan Health System (Ann Arbor, MI, USA) have developed a urinary screening test for prostate cancer based on two biomarkers. These biomarkers, are the fusion transmembrane protease serine 2: Ets Related Gene (TMPRSS2:ERG) and the prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3), both are known to be present in prostate cancer patients. This TMPRSS:ERG gene was demonstrated to be upregulated by androgenic hormones in prostate cancer cells and downregulated in androgen-independent prostate cancer tissue. PCA3 is a gene, which has noncoding messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) that is overexpressed in prostate cancer and is useful as a tumor marker.

The study looked at 1,312 men with elevated PSA levels and subsequent prostate removals, comparing the results of their urine tests with those of their biopsies. The investigators believe that the correlations they found in the two test results indicate that the urine test will be an effective tool in detecting a man's prostate cancer risk. Because TMPRSS2:ERG is caused by two genes switching places and then fusing together, is believed by some to be the cause of prostate cancer, but it only occurs in approximately half of cancer patients. Therefore, screening for the second genetic marker, PCA3, is included in the urine test.

The urine test is a product of Gen-Probe (San Diego, CA, USA), and although the urine test has not yet been submitted to the authorities for approval nor is it available to the public, the University of Michigan will soon begin using it. David B. Samadi, MD, from Mount Sinai Medical Center (New York, NY, USA), said, "Studies of these two genetic markers have been performed in the past, and there is evidence that combining such a test with the PSA blood test may result in a better prediction of prostate cancer."

Related Links:
University of Michigan Health System
Gen-Probe
The Mount Sinai Medical Center