New procedure could significantly facilitate prostate cancer diagnosis

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer and the third most common cause of cancer death in men in Germany. In order to diagnose the disease and distinguish it from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is also very common, a transrectal punch biopsy still often has to be carried out. This procedure is not only painful, but also harbours various other risks. Researchers led by Lukas Markert and Dr Andreas Savelsbergh from Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H) have now developed the basis for a new procedure that can differentiate between the two diseases using small fragments of genetic material from the urine.

Micro-RNAs (miRNA) and piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are extracted from small amounts of a urine sample and amplified. These are short molecules of genetic information that are not themselves translated into proteins. Instead, they regulate the transcription and transport of genetic information. With the help of next-generation sequencing, these fragments can be read out quickly and precisely in specialised laboratories. The RNA fragments (ribonucleic acids) appear to be involved in the development and progression of PCa. The researchers analysed more than 2,500 of these small RNAs and were able to discover a pattern in them. Bioinformatic machine learning algorithms were also programmed to analyse the data independently. "If the composition in the urine changes, this apparently speaks for or against prostate cancer," explains Lukas Markert. "Alongside the PSA value and biopsy, this could be established as a helpful diagnostic criterion in urology."

New examination method offers advantages in terms of patient safety

The painless and risk-free examination method would have obvious advantages for patient safety and comfort. Markert: "We are pleased with the clear results of our investigation and hope that they can soon be applied. Nevertheless, we are aware that we have only laid a foundation stone. Further research on larger patient groups is needed in advance to confirm the work." The development of a clinical test kit based on the data is also necessary. The researchers are hoping for interested partners from industry or an experienced start-up company.

The results were recently published in the international journal The Public Library of Science ONE:

Lukas Markert, Jonas Holdmann, Claudia Klinger, Michael Kaufmann,
Karin Schork, Michael Turewicz, Martin Eisenacher, Andreas Savelsbergh: Small RNAs as biomarkers to differentiate benign and malign prostate diseases: an alternative for transrectal punch biopsy of the prostate?