Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. Doctors usually check for it using blood tests, MRI scans, and biopsies.
However, these methods can be uncomfortable and sometimes lead to overdiagnosis—meaning doctors find slow-growing cancers that would never cause harm. As a result, some men may undergo unnecessary treatments with side effects that could have been avoided.
Researchers at the University of Michigan Health Rogel Cancer Center have been working on a better way to detect aggressive prostate cancer.
They have developed and tested a urine test called MyProstateScore 2.0 (MPS2). This test could help men avoid painful and invasive procedures if they are unlikely to have dangerous cancer.
How Prostate Cancer is Diagnosed
Prostate cancer is classified into different groups based on how aggressive it is. Doctors use a grading system called the Gleason score or Grade Group (GG). A Gleason score of 6, or Grade Group 1, means the cancer is low-risk and unlikely to spread.
A score of 7 or higher (GG2 or higher) means the cancer is more likely to grow and cause serious health problems. Doctors focus on finding these aggressive cancers so they can be treated early.
The new urine test looks at 18 genes that are linked to high-risk prostate cancer. Previous research showed that MPS2 could identify aggressive cancers with good accuracy. However, in earlier studies, patients had to undergo a digital rectal exam (DRE) before giving a urine sample.
This was necessary because pressing on the prostate helps release cancer-related substances into the urine. While effective, many men find the rectal exam uncomfortable and may avoid screening because of it.
A Simpler and More Comfortable Test
In their latest study, the researchers found a way to make the test easier. They tested urine samples from 266 men who had not undergone a rectal exam. The results showed that MPS2 could still detect 94% of aggressive prostate cancers, proving that the test works even without the extra procedure.
Not only was MPS2 highly accurate, but it was also better than standard blood tests at identifying dangerous cancers. The researchers also used computer models to estimate the test’s impact.
They found that if MPS2 were widely used, it could help avoid up to 53% of unnecessary biopsies—procedures where doctors take tissue samples from the prostate to check for cancer.
Could This Become an At-Home Test?
These findings suggest that MPS2 could be a good option for at-home prostate cancer screening. Instead of visiting a clinic for a rectal exam or blood test, men could simply provide a urine sample. This would make screening easier and more accessible.
Another advantage of MPS2 is cost. Compared to expensive MRI scans, the urine test is much cheaper. If proven effective on a larger scale, it could help reduce healthcare costs while ensuring that only those at higher risk undergo further testing.
The researchers now want to test MPS2 on a larger and more diverse group of men. They also hope to see if the test can be used to monitor men with low-risk prostate cancer, helping doctors track whether their cancer remains slow-growing or becomes more aggressive over time.
Review of the Study Findings
The study’s results are promising because they show that MPS2 can detect aggressive prostate cancer without requiring a rectal exam. This makes screening more comfortable and accessible for men who might otherwise avoid testing.
The test was also shown to be more accurate than standard blood tests and could significantly reduce unnecessary biopsies.
However, more research is needed before MPS2 becomes a widely used tool. The study included only 266 men, and larger studies are necessary to confirm the test’s reliability in different populations. Researchers also need to determine how well the test works for long-term monitoring of prostate cancer patients.
If future studies confirm these findings, MPS2 could revolutionize prostate cancer screening. It could help doctors focus on treating aggressive cases while avoiding unnecessary procedures for men with low-risk cancer.
Ultimately, this could lead to better patient outcomes, reduced healthcare costs, and a more comfortable screening process for men worldwide.
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The research findings can be found in The Journal of Urology.
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