New Test Identifies Prostate Cancer

 

A simple blood test using a single drop of blood is significantly more accurate than current screening methods. The new test will allow men to bypass invasive procedures to look for aggressive prostate cancer

The new Extracellular Vesicle Fingerprint Predictive Score (EV-FPS) test uses a computer to combine information from millions of cancer cell nanoparticles in the blood to find the unique fingerprint of aggressive prostate cancer

The successful implementation of the EV-FPS test could eventually eliminate unnecessary biopsies, hospital admissions and up to 50% of unnecessary treatments for prostate cancer each year in North America alone.

According to the research team, current tests such as the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) and digital rectal exam (DRE) often lead to unneeded biopsies.

More than 50% of men who undergo biopsy do not have prostate cancer, yet suffer the pain and side effects of the procedure.

Beyond cost savings to the health care system, the researchers say the test will have a dramatic impact on the health and quality of life for men and their families

The findings of the new test were presented at the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles conference in Toronto.