Thermo Fisher Scientific, along with Karolisnka Institute, has revealed the results of the Stockholm 3 (STHLM3) clinical study, designed to develop an effective test to screen prostate cancer than using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) alone.
The study has analyzed a combination of six protein markers, more than 200 genetic markers and clinical data such as age, family history and previous prostate biopsies.
Conducted between 2012 and 2014, the study comprised of 58,818 men from Stockholm, Sweden. They were aged between 50 and 69.
According to the company, the study demonstrated a 30% reduction in biopsies without compromising the number of actual cancers diagnosed.
The STHLM3 prostate cancer study was financed by Stockholm County Council, a provider of healthcare in the Stockholm area.
The protein and genetic marker assays used in the clinical study have been provided by Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Karolinska Institute cancer epidemiology professor and study principal investigator Dr Henrik Grönberg said: "Today, men who don’t have cancer or who have a form of cancer that doesn’t need treating must go through an unnecessary, painful and sometimes dangerous course of treatment. On top of this, PSA misses many aggressive cancers."
Thermo Fisher clinical next-generation sequencing and oncology business president Joseph Bernardo said: "The study authors put this all in perspective by pointing out that a 30 percent reduction in prostate biopsies would translate to 300,000 fewer procedures annually in the US."
Recently, Thermo Fisher received 510(k) approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its new immunoassay to specifically detect hydrocodone.
The DRI Hydrocodone assay is a homogeneous enzyme immunoassay, which specifically detects hydrocodone at the 300ng/mL cut-off.
Image: Micrograph of prostatic adenocarcinoma, conventional (acinar) type, the most common form of prostate cancer. Photo: courtesy of Nephron.