Urine Test Identifies Prostate Cancer

A new urine test can detect prostate cancer by measuring the presence of RNA from the prostrate cancer gene 3 or PCA3. Cancerous prostate cells exhibit increased transcription of PCA3 genes resulting in 60 to 100 times more expression of PCA3 RNA than normal prostate cells. This test is more accurate than the current PSA test which detects a prostate-specific antigen given off by all prostate cells. The current method cannot differentiate between a man with an noncancerous enlarged prostate and a man with prostate cancer. The new urine test will allow men to skip unnecessary biopsies and even surgeries. The test has been approved in some European countries, but has not been approved here in the United States.

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/130/117654.htm