New medical test 'fine tunes' prostate cancer screening for men in Dubai

Prostate cancer, which affects 1 in 8 adult men, is highly treatable if caught early enough but spotting the signs is a difficult task, especially as there are few or no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. Current screening tests for the disease are not 100% accurate and carry their own risk.

Prior to the new test, a physical examination and a biopsy (a medical test involving the removal of tissue for examination) were the only tests available to screen for prostate cancer. However, even a biopsy would only provide a conclusive result in 85% of cases leaving the other 15% unresolved. Even the biopsies could produce errors and result in misdiagnosis. The biopsy procedure itself - an invasive medical procedure - could also result in prostate infection in a high percentage of cases.

The new PCA3 test is a simple urine test that guides the physician and patient on the important decision of whether to undergo a biopsy. The test is gene based and specific and is not affected by other non cancerous prostate conditions.

PCA3 complements and enhances the existing PSA (prostate specific antigen) test which identifies a protein in the blood associated with prostate problems including cancer. A raised PSA would lead to a consultation between doctor and patients on whether a biopsy, with its associated risks and possible error, should be performed. However, a high PSA and low PCA result would reduce any suspicion of cancer as the PCA test is highly sensitive. A high PCA result would indicate the need for a biopsy.

If a positive biopsy has already been undertaken, the PCA3 test can help determine the aggressiveness of the cancer and support decisions about the form of treatment.

Dr Manaf Kandakji, German Board Certified in Urology at the American hospital Dubai, comments:

"PCA3 is an important new test that greatly aids the decision making process for physician and patients concerned about prostate cancer. The test itself is very simple and requires a urine sample to be analysed in a specialized laboratory which takes 1-2 weeks. It provides vital additional information on which a decision can be made about the need for a biopsy - the higher the PCA result, the more likely that a biopsy is required. This means that the number of potentially unnecessary biopsies - those that produce negative or inconclusive results - will be reduced considerably."