Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer for men living in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. Because of poor reporting, most cases are under-reported until they reach more advanced states. A new at-home urine test developed by Michigan researchers aims to encourage more men to undergo diagnostic testing.
Testing for prostate cancer, while necessary, traditionally involves uncomfortable and invasive procedures. Current screening methods rely on blood tests, MRIs, and biopsies. Additionally, these diagnostic tools often overdiagnose low-grade cancers while struggling to accurately determine how aggressive a tumor might be.
A study published in The Journal of Urology validates a urine test called MyProstateScore 2.0 (MPS2) that searches for 18 different genes associated with prostate cancer. Some of these genes specifically indicate more aggressive forms of the disease.
Prostate cancers are normally scored based on the Gleason Grade or Grade Group. “Gleason 3+4=7,” also called Grade Group 2, are aggressive tumors. They are more likely to grow and cause harm to the body than non-aggressive prostate cancers rated as “Gleason 6” or Grade Group 1.
“Its primary benefit is that the test can accurately predict your probability of developing aggressive prostate cancer, putting both the patient and physician at ease,” says Dr. Ganesh Palapattu, the department chair of urology at Michigan Medicine and study co-author, in a statement.
The researchers noted that previous research had collected urine samples from a digital rectal exam, which would not be practical or comfortable for many people. “The process requires the prostate to be compressed, causing the release of cellular debris into a urine sample that the patient provides after the rectal exam,” explains Dr. Palapattu, who is also a professor of urology.
The new research examined whether the MPS2 test could detect cancer markers without this examination. Using urine samples from 266 men who did not undergo a rectal exam, researchers found the test could identify more than 92% of aggressive prostate cancers (Grade Group 2 or higher) while showing better accuracy than standard blood tests.
The study’s calculations suggest this approach could help 36-42% of men avoid unnecessary biopsies. For men who previously had a negative biopsy but still showed concerning PSA levels, the test could prevent 44-53% of repeat biopsies while maintaining high accuracy for detecting aggressive cancers.
It is also a cost-effective test compared to an MRI, and Dr. Palapattu says it has high potential as an at-home test.
A small group of 47 patients received both MPS2 testing and MRI scans. While this sample was limited, the results suggested the two methods might complement each other, with each test catching some significant cancers the other missed.
To confirm the findings, the team plans to repeat the study with a more diverse and numerous group of male participants. They are also looking to see how effective the urine test is at detecting low-state, non-aggressive prostate cancer.
“MPS2 could potentially improve the health of our patients by avoiding overdiagnosis and overtreatment and allowing us to focus on those who are most likely to have aggressive cancers,” Dr. Palapattu explains. MPS2 is currently available through Lynx Dx, a University of Michigan spin-off company.