Further evidence to support MRI-guided prostate biopsies
Doctors may be able to spare some men from having to undergo uncomfortable prostate biopsies in future, thanks to growing evidence in favour of MRI-guided biopsies.
The procedure, which involves using thin needles to take small samples of tissue from the prostate gland, is routinely used to diagnose cancer as well as determine the aggressiveness of the disease.
Unfortunately, the procedure is associated with several risks, so doctors have been searching for a way to reduce the number of men going through unnecessary biopsies.
" This new method reduced the number of men needing a biopsy by about 40 per cent. "
Results from the Movember-funded PRECISE study support and improve on the findings of an earlier European-based study, which generated compelling evidence in favour of using MRI-guided prostate biopsies.
This new method reduced the number of men needing a biopsy by about 40 per cent, compared with the standard transrectal ultrasound-guided systematic biopsies.
MRI-guided biopsy was also shown to be able to find more significant cancers and reduce the diagnosis of low-risk cancer by more than 50 per cent.
“The study’s findings have influenced Ontario Health-Cancer Care Ontario’s upcoming, updated Prostate MRI Guidelines, which will be released this year,” says Dr. Masoom Haider, co-lead of the study and Professor of Medical Imaging at the University of Toronto, and Clinician Scientist with the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR).
“I am pleased to see our research produce results that will make a real difference in how prostate cancer is diagnosed and improve the lives of patients.”
Movember is also providing additional funding that allows the research team to address several key questions that could only be answered by long-term follow-up of men who participated in this study. It is hoped the long-term data will further strengthen the MRI-guided biopsy protocol to ensure every man can be accurately diagnosed.
Dr Sarah Hsaio, Director of Biomedical Research and Impact at Movember, said: “At Movember, we are honoured to play a role in funding cutting-edge research like the PRECISE study, ultimately helping to provide more positive outcomes for men living with or beyond a prostate cancer diagnosis.”