Scientists have found a way to personalise a common prostate cancer test by looking at genetic variations, which should make it more accurate in predicting a man's risk of developing the disease.
Screening using prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests is controversial at the moment because it is difficult to define normal PSA levels, so cancer is missed in some men while others get false positive results.
Improving the accuracy of the test by customising it to individual genetic profiles should catch more men with cancer who currently slip through the net, and avoid unnecessary biopsies in those at low risk, researchers said on December 15.
In a study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, an Icelandic-led team said they had discovered several DNA variations, known as single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), that affect background blood levels of PSA.
William Catalona - a professor of urology at North-western University, Illinois, who developed the original PSA test and was involved in the new research - said it was clear some men had naturally high or low levels of PSA, just as some were tall or short.
Prostate is the most common cancer in men in Western countries and kills 250,000 world-wide each year, yet it can be treated successfully if caught early.
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