Urine Protein Could Pave the Way for New Prostate Cancer Test
13 October 2010 – A new study has shown that a protein in urine could be a powerful indicator of prostate cancer risk.
The work builds on a study led by Professor Ros Eeles from the ICR and The Royal Marsden, which examined the genome of thousands of men both with and without prostate cancer. Using a technique called a genome wide association study, the scientists found a number of changes to the letters of the DNA code that gave an increased risk of developing prostate cancer.
One of the genetic changes found was common, occurring in around 30-40 per cent of European men. It is located on chromosome 10q in the section of DNA that ‘switches on’ the production of a protein called microseminoprotein-beta (MSMB). The protein is produced by normal prostate cells and is the second most abundant protein in semen after prostate specific antigen (PSA), the marker currently measured in the standard test for prostate cancer.
In the latest study, scientists from the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Research Institute and the ICR measured the level of MSMB protein present in the urine of more than 350 men with and without prostate cancer, and also tested the men to find out whether they had the genetic change. They found the genetic change in the MSMB gene was significantly associated with a reduction in the amount of MBMB protein present in urine.
Men’s level of MSMB protein would be easy to measure as it is secreted from semen into urine, so the study raises the possibility of a simple urine test that could be used to identify men at greater risk of developing prostate cancer. It could also potentially be used alongside PSA testing – which has significant limitations as a screening tool – to improve detection of prostate cancer and for monitoring progression of the disease.
