Improved Biopsy for Prostate Cancer

A new biopsy system for the prostate may lead to improved cancer detection and treatment, with more accurate prognoses.

A clinical test evaluating the device, called TargetScan, was performed by researchers at Washington University (St. Louis, MO, USA). They found that TargetScan's application of a stationary probe with 3-D image acquisition provided better biopsy information about the location, extent, and aggressiveness of prostate cancer, compared to conventional biopsy techniques. For patients, these findings mean that a TargetScan biopsy may lead to better detection and prognoses. Envisioneering Medical Technology (St. Louis, MO, USA) developed TargetScan.

The test showed that TargetScan detected cancer more frequently upon the first biopsy than conventional techniques. In a study of 20 prostatectomy specimens removed from men with prostate cancer, researchers simulated a TargetScan biopsy procedure and compared their findings to those confirmed in laboratory pathology conducted by an independent laboratory. The TargetScan biopsies identified the extent, location, and grade of cancer more accurately.

"The results of this study are statistically significant, validating the concept that TargetScan's approach to biopsies can help physicians more accurately evaluate the prostate on the first biopsy and better characterize the extent and aggressiveness of cancer if it is found,” said Dr. Gerald Andriole, professor of surgery and chief of urology at Washington University.

The researchers also suggested that TargetScan's stabilized probe coupled with its ability to reproduce biopsies and intraprostatic needle localization could improve the success of new cancer-treatment deliveries, such as brachytherapy and cryotherapy.




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