An at-home urine test to monitor men on active surveillance

Grant information

Why did we fund this project?

• Active surveillance is a way of monitoring localised (early) prostate cancer, rather than treating it straight away. Men on active surveillance regularly undergo tests, such as blood tests, scans and biopsies, to make sure that the cancer is not growing.
• Professor Colin Cooper and his team are developing an at-home urine test that could be used to monitor men on active surveillance.
• When prostate cancer develops, small fragments of the cancer are transferred to the urine. The team have previously developed a test which analyses these cancer fragments to identify whether prostate cancer is likely to grow and spread. They've also developed a test kit that would allow men to collect the necessary urine samples at home.
• This simple test could detect any changes to men’s prostate cancer early, to give men and their clinical team more confidence that their cancer can be monitored safely through active surveillance. The at-home test could also help men avoid extra visits to the hospital.
• In this project, the team trialled for the first time using this at-home test to monitor men on active surveillance.

What did the team do?

• The team collected urine samples using the at-home test from men on active surveillance in the UK, Italy and Canada.
• The team used their test to analyse the cancer fragments in the men’s urine.
• They compared the results to the men’s usual tests and scans to work out how useful their test is at monitoring prostate cancer in these men.

What did the team achieve?

• The team successfully collected and analysed urine from over 2000 men. They received excellent feedback from the men, who said the kit was convenient and easy to use.
• The team showed that their test could indicate whether a man’s cancer is likely to grow and spread. This could identify men who shouldn't remain on active surveillance and should instead start treatment.
• Excitingly, the team also found that by analysing more features of the cancer fragments in men’s urine, they could improve the accuracy of their test even further.

What does this mean for men?

• The team have shown that their test is easy to use, convenient, and could give men the confidence to remain on active surveillance, whilst identifying other men who require treatment.
• The team now need to carry out a bigger trial in more men, to demonstrate the test is a safe and accurate way to monitor men on active surveillance.
• The team also think this test could be useful for other groups of men, including as a convenient screening test that could be used to detect aggressive prostate cancer in men without a prostate cancer diagnosis. The team are collaborating with researchers at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London to investigate this further.

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