Prostate Cancer Blood Test Found Equally Effective Across Ethnic Groups

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 07 Aug 2024

Image: The Stockholm3 prostate cancer test produces significantly better results than the current PSA standard (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Stockholm3, a prostate cancer test that analyzes a combination of protein and genetic markers from a blood sample using an algorithm, has been shown to predict the likelihood of clinically significant cancer with greater accuracy than the conventional prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. Research involving over 90,000 men indicates that Stockholm3 outperforms PSA, helping to avoid unnecessary MRIs and biopsies, and identifying serious cancers even in men with low or normal PSA levels. Historically, these studies primarily involved a predominantly White Scandinavian population, casting doubt on their applicability globally. Now, a new study has confirmed that Stockholm3 is equally effective across diverse ethnic backgrounds and continues to outperform the PSA standard significantly.

The study, conducted by researchers at Karolinska Institutet (Stockholm, Sweden) where the Stockholm3 blood test was developed, involved more than 2,000 men from 17 clinics, with ethnic backgrounds including 16% Asian, 24% African-American, 14% Latin American, and 46% White American. Each participant was recommended for a prostate biopsy based on elevated PSA scores, abnormal rectal exams, concerning MRI results, or other suspicious clinical signs. Before undergoing a biopsy, each subject had a blood sample taken for the Stockholm3 test, performed without knowledge of the biopsy outcomes.

The findings published in The Journal of Clinical Oncology showed that clinically relevant prostate cancer was detected in 29% of participants, with a slightly higher incidence among African Americans and a lower one among Asians. Importantly, the Stockholm3 test was shown to potentially reduce unnecessary biopsies by 45% (673 compared to 1,226), while maintaining effectiveness in detecting all clinically significant cases across different ethnicities. The researchers assert that these findings address critical concerns and anticipate that this evidence will facilitate broader adoption of the Stockholm3 test globally.

“The study demonstrates that the Stockholm3 test is just as effective on an ethnically mixed group as it is on a White, Swedish population,” said the study’s lead author Hari T. Vigneswaran, doctor and PhD student at Karolinska Institutet.

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Karolinska Institutet