Prostate Cancer Detection

A number of other promising biomarkers to augment or replace the PSA test are currently under development.⁵ Urine levels of prostate cancer antigen 3 (PCA3), a non-coding RNA, are not associated with prostate volume or noncancerous conditions, and are a better predictor of prostate cancer than PSA levels according to several recent studies.^6-7 However, whether the detection of PCA3 improves survival is uncertain, and a suitable cutoff for elevated prostate cancer risk must be established. Other biomarker candidates include the TMPRSS2:ERG fusion gene and additional members of the kallikrein family.⁸

Findings presented in May 2014 at the American Urological Association annual meeting may provide a novel approach to detect these biomarkers. Researchers found that dogs trained to detect the odor of prostate cancer-specific volatile organic compounds emitted from tumors are able to differentiate between urine samples from men with and without prostate cancer with an accuracy greater than 95%.⁹

Unlike other forms of cancer, prostate cancer often grows slow enough that treatment may never be required. In light of the significant side effects associated with prostatectomy, radiation, and other forms of treatment, differentiating patients in need of treatment from those who simply require vigilant monitoring is of utmost importance. Thus, along with the identification of disease biomarkers in general, the search for tests that can differentiate between aggressive and slow-growing forms of the disease is an active area of research.⁵

Bethyl's portfolio contains numerous antibodies for prostate cancer research.