A pioneering Scottish company is trialling a more accurate test for prostate cancer, aiming to improve early detection for men.
The Glasgow University–based firm, Pinpoint Medical, is developing a urine test that identifies biomarkers linked to the disease. Trials are currently underway at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.
The research comes after the UK National Screening Committee recently rejected a national PSA testing programme, citing concerns about accuracy and the risk of overdiagnosis.
Pinpoint Medical believes its test, used alongside PSA blood tests, could achieve more than 90% sensitivity for detecting prostate cancer. PSA testing alone can produce false positives and negatives in many patients.
Jason Donnelly, chief executive of Pinpoint Medical, said the biomarker has already been tested in hundreds of patients across several regions and is now entering trials at the Beatson Centre.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, affecting one in eight. Patients stress the urgent need for more reliable testing. Public figures such as Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, former Prime Minister David Cameron, and actor Sir Stephen Fry have expressed disappointment at the rejection of mass NHS screening.
The National Screening Committee cited potential harms, including overtreatment and side effects such as incontinence. Scotland reports the highest number of late-stage prostate cancer diagnoses in the UK, with one in three cases detected at stage four.
Donnelly said: “Our goal is to reduce false positives and negatives from the PSA test and provide an easily accessible early diagnostic tool. Too many men are diagnosed far too late. Our test could achieve 90–95% accuracy when combined with PSA testing.”
Initial studies at Glasgow Royal Infirmary have shown encouraging results. The team is now trialling the biomarker alongside other established methods to calibrate its effectiveness. Over 800 patients have participated in testing.
The urine test reportedly reduces false positives by nearly 40% compared with PSA tests, cutting unnecessary biopsies and potentially saving the NHS £40 million.
Donnelly, whose father died 18 months after a stage four prostate cancer diagnosis, said personal experience drove the research. He hopes the test could eventually be offered at GP practices for £18–£20 per patient, while stressing that diagnoses should always occur in a medical setting.
Sir Chris Hoy, diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in September 2023 after a shoulder tumour, highlights the importance of early detection.
The National Screening Committee will revisit its decision early next year. Draft recommendations for public consultation until February suggest a targeted screening programme for men with confirmed BRCA gene variants. Men with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, Black men, and those with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer are at increased risk.
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