The Wall Street Journal reported early this month that the rapidly advancing study of proteins in human blood and tissue (proteomics) is likely to lead to a vast improvement in the ability to detect prostate cancer. Harvard Researchers indicated in the journal Cancer that they have discovered a protein identified as PCa-24 in the tissues and blood serum of cancer victims that may be able to serve as much more accurate marker than the PSA test currently in use.
The Wall Street Journal reported early this month that the rapidly advancing study of proteins in human blood and tissue (proteomics) is likely to lead to a vast improvement in the ability to detect prostate cancer. Harvard Researchers indicated in the journal Cancer that they have discovered a protein identified as PCa-24 in the tissues and blood serum of cancer victims that may be able to serve as much more accurate marker than the PSA test currently in use. The PSA (Prostate Specific antigen) test misses 82% of prostate cancers in men over 60. The new marker promises an as much as 94% accuracy. Several manufacturers are in a race to bring a new test marker to market, and will likely sell at a substantial premium above the current $30 to $40 for a PSA test.
Meanwhile, the Clinical Proteomics Program, which is joint venture between the National institute of Health and the FDA is looking at all of the proteins in the body to determine if they can find a pattern indicating the presence of cancer.
If the proteomics research is able to isolate the fast growing prostate cancer from the indolent prostate cancer, many men will be spared the hard choices involved in surgical removal where 30% of the patients become incontinent and 70% impotent.
That's a good deduction from study. At least in this age, it is easier to grow proteins in one's body. And by doing so one can't suffer from Cancer.
Posted by: Kane | February 07, 2006 at 03:44 PM