A new test could make it easier to detect high-risk prostate cancer cases earlier.The blood test, called Stockholm3, is showing promise in clinical trials, beating out the traditional, standard prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.In a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden studied the test’s efficacy in more than 12,000 men – mostly Swedish or European – aged 50 to 74.NEW PROSTATE CANCER TEST PINPOINTS DISEASE BETTER THAN PSA OPTION, STUDY FINDSAll participants were tested with PSA and Stockholm3 and were followed for two years.During the follow-up period, 443 men were diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer.Stockholm3 detected 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases compared to 74% for PSA tests.Stockholm3 detected 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases compared to 74% for PSA tests.
(iStock)Stockholm3 missed "significantly fewer" serious cancer cases than PSA.The number of men incorrectly classified as high-risk was similar across both tests, according to a press release.Thorgerdur Palsdottir, a researcher at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, wrote in a statement that one of the major challenges in prostate cancer is being able to identify the cases that are "truly dangerous."'DILBERT' CREATOR'S DESPERATE PLEA SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON ALTERNATIVE PROSTATE CANCER DRUG"Our results show that Stockholm3 identifies significantly more aggressive cancer cases than PSA, without increasing the number of unnecessary follow-ups," she said."These results point toward a potential change in how prostate cancer screening can be conducted," the researcher added.
"A more precise blood test could enable earlier detection of aggressive disease while reducing the number of unnecessary follow-up examinations and procedures.""A more precise blood test could enable earlier detection of aggressive disease while reducing the number of unnecessary follow-up examinatio...