21
Mar 2018
46 per cent more cases of prostate cancer detected through MRI scans than biopsies
A major study led by University College London has found that thousands of cases of aggressive prostate cancer could be spotted early through the use of cutting-edge MRI scans rather than having to rely on biopsies.
The study also found that the number of patients subjected to painful biopsies was cut by over 25 per cent and if the system was extended across the health service, 28,000 men each year in the UK could be spared the invasive procedure.
All patients with suspected risk of prostate cancer currently have to undergo a biopsy, involving a small tissue sample being removed from their prostate. Around 100,000 patients undergo this procedure each year. However, biopsies, as well as being particularly painful, also come with a risk of side effects, including bleeding and infections.
This study instead used MRI scans to give a detailed image of the prostate and meant that 28 per cent of patients were given the all-clear, removing the need for a biopsy. For the rest of the patients, the biopsies were used with far greater accuracy, as the scan images allowed samples to be sourced directly from suspicious tissue.
Following the research, Prostate Cancer UK’s Karen Stalbow, said “For too long men have had to endure a stab-in-the-dark biopsy technique, which can miss one in four harmful prostate cancers. It is now more important than ever that all men with suspected prostate cancer get a multi-parametric MRI scan before biopsy.”
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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.
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