Scientists at the University of Cambridge are pioneering a potentially game-changing blood test that could finally enable a reliable national screening programme for prostate cancer, a disease that claims over 12,000 lives in the UK each year.
The Limitations of Current Testing
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the UK, with more than 55,000 new cases diagnosed annually. For decades, detection has relied on the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, a tool known for its significant shortcomings. The PSA test is notoriously imprecise, often yielding false positives or identifying slow-growing cancers that may never harm the patient. This unreliability causes considerable anxiety and leads to unnecessary invasive biopsies. Crucially, it can also miss aggressive, life-threatening forms of the disease, which is why the NHS has never been able to roll out a widespread screening programme.
How the New 'Liquid Biopsy' Works
The Cambridge team's innovative approach focuses on analysing DNA methylation markers – tiny pieces of cellular debris shed by tumours into the bloodstream. Until now, searching for these specific signals has been like finding a needle in a haystack due to their minuscule quantities. This novel test is designed to look for multiple such markers simultaneously, providing a far more detailed picture.
Dr Harveer Dev, who leads the research at the university's Early Cancer Institute, explained the potential. "We're getting really promising results," he said. The test doesn't just indicate the presence of cancer; it can also assess the tumour's aggressiveness, helping doctors decide if and what kind of treatment is urgently needed.
Clinical Trials and Future Impact
The research is currently in a critical validation phase. Scientists are assessing the test's precision using historical blood samples from more than 1,000 men across Europe and Africa, some donated up to three decades ago. They are conducting follow-ups to see which donors later developed cancer, comparing the test's predictions with real-world outcomes.
The team aims to begin full clinical trials within the next two years to determine the optimal stage for deploying the test in a screening pathway. Dr Naomi Elster, Director of Research at Prostate Cancer Research, which backs the study, stated: "There absolutely is space for even more accurate tools. This not only tells us if the cancer is there. It could also tell us how dangerous the cancer is – vital information to make sure it is treated in the right way."
If successful, this blood test could spare countless men with elevated PSA levels from immediate biopsies, providing clearer answers from a simple blood draw. It represents a major stride towards personalised medicine and could fundamentally transform how the UK's most common male cancer is detected and managed, saving thousands of lives annually.
