A study looking at a urine test to diagnose prostate cancer (PCa001)
Please note - this trial is no longer recruiting patients. We hope to add results when they are available.
Cancer type:
Status:
Phase:
This study is looking at a urine test as a way of diagnosing prostate cancer. The test measures a protein called Mcm5 which stands for mini chromosome maintenance protein 5.
If you have symptoms that could be caused by prostate cancer, you are likely to have a PSA blood test. Your doctor will also feel your prostate gland by putting a gloved finger into your back passage. This is called a digital rectal examination or DRE.
If the level of PSA in your blood is high, you may then have a prostate biopsy. But although a high level of PSA can be a sign of cancer, it can also be raised in conditions other than cancer. So some men won’t need a biopsy.
Researchers are looking for ways to work out which men with a raised PSA are unlikely to have prostate cancer, so could avoid having a biopsy.
The aim of this study is to see if a urine test called Urosens Mcm5-ELISA can help to diagnose prostate cancer. If the test can do this, in future it may lead to fewer men having a biopsy they don’t need.
Who can enter
There are 2 parts to this study. Men were able to join the first part of the study if they had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and were going to hospital for further tests or treatment.
You may be able to join the second part of the study if you need to have a biopsy after a blood test showed a raised level of PSA, or your doctor felt something abnormal during your digital rectal examination (DRE).
And for both parts of the study, you must be
- At least 18 years of age
- Able to provide a urine sample
You cannot enter this trial if you
- Have swelling or an infection in your prostate gland
- Have kidney or bladder stones
- Have had bladder cancer, kidney cancer, or cancer that started elsewhere but has spread to these organs
- Have had any medical procedure on your
urinary system 
in the last 14 days (the trial team can advise you about this) - Have had a prostate biopsy in the last 6 weeks
Trial design
There are 2 parts to this study. The first part of the study tested urine samples from about 40 men with prostate cancer who were going to hospital for treatment or a follow up appointment.
They saw the doctor or nurse and had a digital rectal examination (DRE). They then passed urine into a special collection tube that separates the first bit of urine passed from the rest of the sample.
This part of the study was to find out if testing the first part of the urine sample for proteins gives a better result than testing the whole sample.
The second part of the study is recruiting men who are going to have a biopsy after having either an abnormal rectal examination or a high PSA blood test result (or both).
Before having your biopsy, you have another rectal examination and pass urine into a special collection tube.
During the biopsy, the doctor will put a small probe into your back passage (rectum). The doctor then puts a very fine needle inside the probe and uses it to take some tissue samples from your prostate gland.
The researchers will compare the results of the biopsy and the urine test to see if the urine test can accurately diagnose prostate cancer.
Hospital visits
There will be no additional hospital visits as a result of taking part in this study. The trial team will ask you to have a digital rectal examination and to provide a urine sample. This will not affect other tests and treatment you have.
Side effects
You should not have any side effects as a result of taking part in this study.
Recruitment start:
Recruitment end:
How to join a clinical trial
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Chief Investigator
Dr Vincent Gnanapragasm
Supported by
NIHR Clinical Research Network: Cancer
Urosens Ltd
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
