Researchers have proposed that employing MRI scanning for prostate cancer screening in men could lead to a significant reduction in disease-related deaths. The present tests, which rely on measuring the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) protein levels in the blood, have been linked to excessive diagnosis and treatment of low-risk cancer cases.
Prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer among men, and individuals aged 50 and above can presently request a PSA test if they exhibit symptoms. The Reimagine study invited 303 men aged 50 to 75 for a screening MRI and a PSA test.
Lead investigator Prof Caroline Moore, a consultant surgeon at University College London hospital (UCLH), asserted that the study’s findings underscore the necessity for a fresh approach to prostate cancer screening. Among the participants, 48 individuals (16%) underwent an MRI that indicated prostate cancer presence, despite possessing median PSA densities.
Out of this subset, 32 individuals exhibited PSA levels lower than the existing screening threshold of 3ng/ml, suggesting that they would not have received referrals for additional evaluation. Following NHS assessment, 29 men received cancer diagnoses requiring treatment, of which 15 had significant cancer and PSA levels below 3ng/ml.
The study identified three men (1%) with low-risk cancer that did not require treatment. UCLH NHS foundation trust and King’s College London conducted the study, and its findings appeared in BMJ Oncology.
Moore emphasized, “Our results suggest that MRI scanning might offer a more dependable means of early detection of potentially severe cancers, with the added benefit that less than 1% of participants experienced ‘overdiagnosis’ of low-risk disease.”
Prof Mark Emberton
Prof Mark Emberton, a consultant urologist at UCLH, expressed confidence that a national screening program could substantially reduce the UK’s prostate cancer mortality rate. He stressed the importance of early detection in treating prostate cancer effectively.
Prof Mark James, an expert in prostate and bladder cancer research at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, noted that the study underscores the value of MRI in prostate cancer diagnosis, particularly in mitigating the limitations of PSA-based screening.
Simon Grieveson, assistant director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, hailed MRI scans for transforming the prostate cancer diagnosis landscape. Grieveson called for larger UK-wide studies to explore the viability of utilizing MRI as the primary testing step, potentially forming the foundation for a national screening initiative.