Overview
- Researchers say the blood test could identify prostate cancer and gauge aggressiveness more accurately than current approaches that rely on PSA levels.
- The method scans thousands of DNA methylation signals shed by tumours, overcoming past detection limits caused by their tiny concentrations in blood.
- Accuracy is being assessed using archived blood samples from more than 1,000 men in Europe and Africa, including donations with decades of follow-up data.
- Clinical trials in UK patients are planned to start within 18 to 24 months to determine how the test should be used alongside or after PSA testing.
- Supporters say a more precise assay could reduce unnecessary biopsies and overtreatment, though any shift in NHS screening policy will depend on trial results and advisory reviews.