Scientists state that they have created a very powerful PSA (prostate specific antigen) which shall distinguish the patients of prostrate cancer who could recidivate after their treatment. In a research which was announced this week in PNAS journal, the examination showed to be three hundreds sensitive than the other PSA examinations which are commercially available.
The researcher from Northwestern University, Chad A. Mirkin has invented this test and he is also the co-founder of the company which is going to market it. He explains about the molecular technique, based on nanotechnology. The test shall indicate men whether prostate cancer they have would reappear after their surgery very early than the test which are available at present. The first thing which was proved by their research was that everyone will have a calculable PSA level after removal of prostrate. This was not possible to measure using current tests.
While the benefits of calculating PSA in while screening for the existence of prostrate cancer is queried, there is a mild discussion that increasing levels of PSA following the treatment auspicate reoccurrence. But PSA is usually not detectable for many years after removal of prostrate surgically even with men who will relapse eventually. If we measure the PSA level after completion of surgery using normal tests, the level of PSA will be 0. Men have to wait for another 5-7 years to find out whether the cancer would return back.
Working Of The Test
This test was invented by Mirkin and his co-workers which make use of very minute golden nano particles to find out the earlier immeasurable PSA levels in blood of the patient. The scientists marked the nano molecules using 1000s of DNA strands combined with certain antibodies that can identify PSA. For each captured PSA molecule, 100s of DNA strands were freed as per Mirkin.
In the newly issued studies, the serum samples which were gathered from eighteen patients with prostrate cancer who removed their prostrates surgically got analyzed both using the normal test available now and the test based on nano-particles. The nano molecular test was capable of detecting the rise in levels of PSA in few men very earlier when compared with the standard test which is commercially available now. Mirkins stated that according to the study which involves two hundred and fifty patients treated surgically is under progress to ensure the findings of the research.
Second Opinion
The spokesman from American Cancer society Mr. Durado Brooks stated that the findings are good but in preliminary level. He stated that even if the bigger study is confirming that the nano-molecular state could accurately spot out patients whose prostrate cancer would relapse after surgery; there are not clear clinical advantages for this test. It’s because there are not enough treatment choices for men who have repeated prostrate cancer.
We are now sure that the increasing PSA level after the treatment could indicate the relapse of the disease, but we are still not aware that if the finding it earlier or even after 3 years will make significant differences with the results.
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