New urine testing system could aid prostate cancer diagnosis

University of Surrey researchers have found a method of detecting indicators of prostate cancer via a simple urine test.

Data from a three-year study published in the medical journal Clinical Cancer Research has determined that production of a protein known as EN2 – which is involved in embryo development – can be reactivated by the disease.

The study found that this protein is then secreted in urine where it is easily detected via a straightforward test that can be conducted quickly and easily in GP surgeries.

This method has been shown to be more reliable and accurate than existing testing practices and circumvents the need for blood samples or prostate biopsies.

Dr Richard Morgan, senior lecturer in molecular oncology at the University of Surrey, said: "We are preparing several large studies in the UK and in the US and although the EN2 test is not yet available, several companies have expressed interest in taking it forward."

According to the Prostate Cancer charity, 37,000 men are diagnosed with the condition in the UK annually, making it the most common type of cancer among males.