Prostate Cancer is a disease common to elderly men, with about 75% of cancers diagnosed in men over the age of 65. If diagnosed early, and the disease is localized to the prostate gland it is potentially curable. But, recent years have seen younger groups susceptible to this cancer. Symptoms include difficulty passing urine, incomplete emptying of the bladder, increased frequency to urinate, and erectile dysfunction, to mention a few. And it may also be inherited…10% of prostate cancers are inherited, men with relatives with the disease are at a higher risk of getting it as well.
The thing is, it has to be diagnosed early to potentially cure it. Korean scientists have employed AI-learning to create a new prostate cancer screening with almost 100% accuracy. The breakthrough is a simple urine strip, which revolutionizes existing methods that are not only inaccurate, but can result in over-diagnosis and necessitate invasive biopsies.
The current method is known as the PSA test (prostate specific antigen), and may be misdiagnosed at a rate as high as 80%. This is due to the fact that PSA is a particular protein in the blood produced from both cancerous and non-cancerous prostate cells. Even if the test detects cancerous PSA, there is a possibility that it is diagnosing tumors that would never produce symptoms during a lifetime, according to the Mayo Clinic. Also, other symptoms such as inflammation of the prostate, an enlarged prostate, or an infection can also fool a standard PSA test, leading to the prescription of an invasive biopsy which can cause pain and bleeding.
Well, there is now a better alternative to the PSA test, thanks to the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, led by Dr. Kwan Hyi Lee. They created a urine test strip containing an electrical-signal-based ultrasensitive biosensor, and introduced AI analysis to quantify the values of four separate prostate cancer factors. The AI uses an algorithm to determine whether or not they add up to cancer. Across 76 different tests, the process led to greater than 99% accuracy rate.
Professor Gab Jong, who aided Dr. Lee in the project, said, “For patients who need surgery and/or treatments, cancer will be diagnosed with high accuracy by using urine to minimize unnecessary biopsy and treatments, which can dramatically reduce medical costs and medical staff’s fatigue.”
Like other medical procedures, a patient may sometimes feel embarrassed by a particular method of diagnosis, and may therefore choose not to get one. The invention of a simple urine strip has the benefit of it being done in private, and with its accuracy rate, is definitely a lifesaver.
Prostate cancer takes millions of lives each year. It is imperative to get diagnosed early if any symptom may arise. Of course, prevention is always better than the cure. Research shows that dietary fat increases the risk of prostate cancer. Eliminate fats from your diet, and use some dietary supplements which can decrease the risk of developing prostate cancer, like vitamin E, lycopene, and selenium. Remember, prostate cancer can affect men younger than 65, so it’s better to be safe and sure. Stay healthy.
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