New Test for Prostate Hyperplasia

A new blood test is showing promise for identifying benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

The new test, called BPH-A, detects an isoform of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which exists in abnormally high levels in the blood of men who have an enlarged prostate gland. BPH-A appears to be more specific to BPH than traditional markers of prostate disease such as PSA, according to recent research findings. The test is being developed by Beckman Coulter, Inc. (Fullerton, CA, USA).

"While today's current PSA test is useful as an aid in the early detection and monitoring of prostate cancer, the test alone is not an effective means to detect and diagnose BPH, because elevated levels may be indicative of other prostatic conditions, such as prostatitis and prostate cancer,” explained Bernard Cook, Ph.D., manager of scientific and professional relations for Beckman Coulter. "Until now, there hasn't been an assay that is specific to BPH. This test is potentially the first of its kind.”

The test currently being developed by Beckman Coulter is a "research use only” (RUO) version of BHA-A that will be used by researchers to further study the usefulness of the test. Feasibility studies are expected to be completed by the end of 2005.

The current research findings were presented at the joint meeting of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) and the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) in Orlando (FL, USA) in July 2005. This presentation also highlighted research on another new blood test called proPSA, also under development. A study suggests that this test may show greater specificity for prostate cancer than the PSA test. The study also suggests that elevated levels of proPSA may be associated with more-aggressive forms of prostate cancer.





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