New Blood Biomarker Can Detect Prostate Cancer In Early Stages

Lori · Veteran Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 508

Researchers developed new blood biomarker that can predict spread of prostate cancer and this finding can lead to prediction of cancer metastasis and this can help in patient’s treatment. When cancer spreads it’s usually on microscopic level and conventional imaging methods like CT scans can’t identify them. This new method of detection measures levels of endoglin which represents plasma biomarker that has already been used as predictor of colon and breast cancer.

Researchers claim that endoglin can predict if prostate cancer would spread into their lymph nodes. During the research experts reviewed about 400 patients who had undergone surgery to remove both their prostates and associated pelvic lymph nodes. They measured the levels of plasma endoglin using a commercial blood test. Higher levels of endoglin indicated increased risk of cancer spread to the lymph nodes and researchers concluded that each 1 ng/mL increase of plasma endoglin increased the risk for cancer spread into the lymph nodes by 17 %.

Results of the study showed that when researchers added endoglin levels to their usual methods of prediction the accuracy improved from 89 % without endoglin to 98%. Experts concluded that blood levels of endoglin can allow doctors to predict the risk of cancer spread at an earlier stage and with higher accuracy than with standard methods that are currently used.

New Blood Biomarker Can Detect Prostate Cancer In Early Stages

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