A new blood test is demonstrating significant promise in detecting aggressive prostate cancer, potentially replacing the current standard screening method.
The test, called Stockholm3, identified 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases in a major clinical study. That far surpasses the 74% detection rate of the traditional prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test.
Researchers from Sweden's Karolinska Institutet studied over 12,000 men. The Stockholm3 test also missed far fewer serious cancer cases and did not increase the number of men incorrectly flagged as high-risk.
"A more precise blood test could enable earlier detection of aggressive disease while reducing the number of unnecessary follow-up examinations and procedures," said Thorgerdur Palsdottir, a Karolinska Institutet researcher.
Hari Vigneswaran, Chief Medical Officer of A3P Biomedical, which developed the test, noted the PSA test has been the standard since the 1990s despite its "well-documented limitations," including leading to invasive follow-ups and missing aggressive cancers.
Early detection is critical. When found while still confined to the prostate, the five-year survival rate for aggressive prostate cancer approaches 100%.
Stockholm3 is not yet available for sale in the United States. A3P Biomedical plans to seek FDA approval for routine screening. A biopsy remains the definitive confirmatory diagnostic tool.