New prostate cancer test cuts biopsies by 50% in US

EpiSwitch PSE shows promise in reducing unnecessary procedures

Kearney Urology Center has reported a 50% reduction in biopsies since adopting EpiSwitch PSE, a new accurate blood test for prostate cancer.

The reduction is due to the test’s marked improvement over the high false positive rate of the standard prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.

In the UK, at-risk men may be offered a PSA test, but up to three quarters of those with a high PSA do not have cancer, leading to unnecessary biopsies.

EpiSwitch PSE increases the accuracy of the PSA test from 55% to 94%, cutting false positives from 75% to just 7%. Dr Garrett Pohlman, Urologist at Kearney Urology Center, said: “I cannot imagine running my practice without EpiSwitch PSE; it’s a game changer. EpiSwitch increases the accuracy of the PSA test from 55% to 94% and cuts false positives from 3 in 4 to less than 1 in 10.

“Since adopting this test, I have cut the number of biopsies in half, allowing men who have tested negative for prostate cancer to avoid the pain and potential side effects of an unnecessary intervention.”

EpiSwitch is the result of a ten-year British collaboration involving Imperial College, Imperial NHS Trust, University of East Anglia, and Oxford Biodynamics.

It is available privately from Goodbody Clinic and The London Clinic, which diagnosed King Charles’ cancer. In the US, the test is reimbursed by several insurers, including Humana and UnitedHealthcare. However, it is not available on the NHS.

Mathias Winkler, Consultant Urologist and Surgeon, Charing Cross Hospital and Imperial College London, said: “PSE is a diagnostic prostate cancer test with unprecedented accuracy.

Nine of 10 cancers are found compared to 3 of 10 with PSA alone. Likewise, false-positive results are reduced avoiding unnecessary anxiety and expense.”

Dr Alexandre Akoulitchev, CSO, Oxford BioDynamics, added: “PSE leads to a significant reduction of biopsies and overtreatments in real-world practice. Extending access to the general public in the UK would depend on the NHS and National Screening Committee.”