Protein discovery ‘could lead to new prostate cancer test’

Research into a protein found in urine has uncovered findings which could pave the way for new prostate cancer testing options.

Medical journal PLos ONE has published a study from the Cambridge Research Institute and the Institute of Cancer Research into microseminoprotein-beta (MSMB) levels among those at risk of prostate cancer.

It was noted that men with genetic variations associated with a particular susceptibility to the disease were also likely to have a reduced amount of MSMB protein in their urine samples.

Dr Hayley Whitaker of the Cambridge Research Institute's urological research group said the discovery represents a "really exciting" breakthrough.

She explained: "The protein is easy to detect because it is found in urine and would potentially be a very simple test to carry out on men to identify those most at risk of developing the disease."

Cancer Research UK figures show that prostate cancer has become the most common form of the disease among British men, with more than 36,000 cases diagnosed annually.