New prostate cancer screening may reduce need for biopsies

New prostate cancer screening may reduce need for biopsies

Good news for men: Research on prostate cancer screening just took an important step forward.

Using more than 260 samples from prostate cancer patients, researchers at the University of Michigan found that sarcosine, a small molecule that’s present in urine, appears to predict the presence of prostate cancer. Sarcosine measurement may also reveal the severity of the disease, which would reduce the need for biopsies.

Further trials will be needed to confirm the accuracy of this new prostate cancer marker. And if those studies are successful, researchers say additional investigations of sarcosine’s role in prostate cancer might lead to new treatments.

Going forward, the Michigan team plans to use their technique to hunt for biomarkers that reveal other diseases.

Source:
“Prostate Cancer Marker Found in Urine” Nature, 2/11/09, nature.com