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" A new generation of tests for prostate cancer that is more reliable than blood prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests is now available to men in the UK.  While the new tests are currently only available privately, they could soon be available on the NHS.  Prostate cancer risk Prostate cancer affects the donut-shaped gland which surrounds the urethra and produces seminal fluid. It is the most commonly occurring cancer in men in the UK and tends to affect older men, those with a family history of prostate cancer and those of Afro-Caribbean heritage.  Around one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives. &amp;#039;PSA tests are the best we have at the moment, but they fall far short of the ideal,&amp;#039; explains Iain Frame, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK.  PSA tests check levels of prostate-specific antigen, which is a substance produced by the prostate gland.  Men with prostate cancer usually have PSA levels higher than four.  In fact, only 25 per cent of men with elevated PSA levels actually have prostate cancer. &amp;#039;We are seeing the emergence of new simpler assessment tools that use a wider range of biological markers to predict cancer,&amp;#039; explains Frame, who says the charity is helping to fund research into these new tests. &amp;#039;In the future, we are hoping that there will also be tests that can show what therapies will be most appropriate for men with prostate cancer too.&amp;#039; Testing for prostate cancer At the moment, most men who are concerned about prostate cancer can undergo tests including a digital rectal examination, a urine test to check for urine infection or prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) and a PSA blood test.  There is no national screening programme, but men over 50 can ask for a test from their GP.  However, PSA tests are known to be unreliable. They give many &amp;#039;false positives,&amp;#039; which lead to further invasive investigations, including biopsies. &amp;#039;Having a biopsy - which involves inserting a thin needle through the rectum to remove a tissue sample - is not a procedure most men would undergo lightly,&amp;#039; says Professor Roger Kirby, the medical director of the Prostate Centre in London.  &amp;#039;Biopsies are not risk-free either and can trigger side effects such as blood or semen in the urine and difficulty passing urine.&amp;#039;  A new test Leading the field is a new urine test that is already commercially available at around \u00A3470.  Researchers at the University of Michigan Health System in the USA have developed a urine test - Mi-Prostate Score (MiPS) \u2013 which, studies show, is more accurate than the PSA test alone.  The test looks for specific markers that could indicate cancer, including PCA3, a gene expressed in prostate tissue and a gene fusion called T2:ERG, which is believed to cause prostate cancer.  The test, which is still only available privately in the UK, can also tell if a cancer is aggressive and likely to grow and spread quickly. &amp;#039;Many more men have elevated PSA than actually have cancer, but it can be difficult to determine this without biopsy,&amp;#039; says Scott Tomlins, assistant professor of pathology and urology at the University of Michigan. &amp;#039;We need new tools to help patients and doctors make better decisions about what to do if serum PSA is elevated.  &amp;#039;Mi-Prostate Score helps with this.&amp;#039;  Any doctor can send a patient&amp;#039;s urine sample to the lab in Michigan, where it is analysed.  Meanwhile, researchers in Sweden are looking into another test, which uses six biological markers to predict whether or not a male patient has prostate cancer.  Study results are due to be published in March 2015. Barriers These tests are progressing in the right direction, but they are not the whole answer, according to Iain Frame.  He points out that these tests are still quite expensive and may not be financially viable, but costs are likely to fall as the technology becomes more widespread.  The MiPS test also involves palpitation \u2013 massaging the prostate via the anus.  &amp;#039;It is not as simple as a man peeing into a pot. In the future, we would like to see a urine test where it is as simple as giving a sample, putting a dipstick in and seeing a colour change,&amp;#039; he says.  The outlook Frame believes that more research is needed before tests using biological markers will mean better outcomes for patients. &amp;#039;We need to do a bit more work to refine what is available, but the pace of development is very fast and studies are reporting valuable data all the time.&amp;#039;  Professor Roger Kirby says that the MiPS test is unlikely to replace PSA tests just yet.  &amp;#039;MiPS is a step forward in the right direction, but it still needs to show its value as a testing tool. &amp;#039;In the meantime, it can be used in conjunction with the DRE test and the PSA test to give us the clearest possible picture to identify those men who are most likely to develop aggressive disease, whilst sparing others unnecessary treatment.&amp;#039;  He counsels men to have regular PSA tests to check they are in good health. &amp;#039;My advice to men over 50, especially those with risk factors such as a family history, is to have a PSA test.&amp;#039; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; Other people also read: Checking yourself for testicular cancer: It&amp;#039;s the most common cancer among men aged 15 to 44 years in the UK.  Circumcision: The procedure is commonly performed shortly after birth or around puberty.  Depression and suicide in men: Men with depression are in great danger of alcohol abuse and suicide.  Last updated 10.03.2015 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/procedures/surgical/a12037/better-tests-for-prostate-cancer/>