New blood tests seek to improve prostate cancer treatment

A new ‘barcode’ test has been studied in order to alter the diagnosis of prostate cancer...

14:49 11 October 2012

The Institute of Cancer Research from London has recently carried out a study on prostate cancer, whereby 94 patients were treated using a blood test. Its findings, which can be found in the Lancet Oncology medical journal, reportedly suggest a way to spot aggressive cases.

 

‘Barcode’ tests have been at the centre of the study, where a person with prostate cancer gives a blood sample which is then examined. According to a report by the BBC, this can be used similarly to a barcode giving information as it concentrates on genetics.

 

According to reports, experts believe that this could give a more accurate reading with regards to prostate cancer for the patient.

 

During the study, people with the disease were divided in to four groups. The parameters came from the tests. It is understood that the researchers carried out these results with another batch of participants.

 

This is believed to have involved 70 American patients, and the findings suggest that gene codes could diagnose victim’s survival rates according to reports.  The findings claim that those people who did not have a “bad” gene had at least double the survival time than those with it.

 

Prostate cancer can vary with each sufferer, with some people battling the disease for many years and others having to endure a life-threatening cancer. The current process is for doctors to take a biopsy – a section of the tumour – and to look at this using a microscope.

 

In the UK, prostate cancer is considered as one of the most common cancers in men. It affects almost one in four males - according to a report by the BBC - with almost 35,000 men being diagnosed and at least 10,000 losing their lives to the disease.