Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men across the U.K. Around 47,500 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer yearly, which complies with 129 affected patients daily.
However, a combination of physical examinations conducted by doctors has always been the sole diagnosis of prostate cancer with a degree of subjectivity, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, which is not disease-specific and often results in false positives considering, is not very reliable.
To revolutionize prostate cancer screening, an Edinburgh start-up IntelliPalp Dx, launched a device named ProstaPalp in October 2022 to provide accurate and objective prostate cancer testing at an early stage.
Here’s the complete story.
What is ProstaPalp?
ProstaPalp is a screening device developed by Heriot-Watt University-based IntelliPalp company, which provides an objective examination for prostate cancer diagnosis and management. The company has been working with Censis Technologies, Scotland’s Center of Excellence for sensor and imaging systems and the Internet of Things (IoT), to accelerate the process of bringing the test to market.
ProstaPalp aims to revolutionize the method of screening prostate cancer in men by providing more accurate testing at an early stage, which would eventually lead to reduced patient anxiety and facilitate efficient diagnosis.
This ingenious device has been shortlisted in the ‘Healthcare & Medical’ category of ‘Collaborate to Innovate Awards, 2022’, which is hosted by The Engineer,’ a London-based monthly magazine and website covering engineering and technology news in the U.K.
Why is prostate cancer testing necessary?
The prostate is a small walnut-shaped male gland that produces the seminal fluid for the nourishment and transportation of sperm. Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in males; it grows slowly and is confined to the prostate gland, where it may not cause serious harm during the early stages but can be very harmful in the later stages.
The most frequent initial diagnosis for prostate cancer is PSA testing, which may or may not need follow-up tests to confirm the presence of the tumor. The use of prostate cancer testing can aid in the early discovery of the disease at localized stages and assist individuals in achieving effective health management. Prostate cancer testing application is rising all over the world but is more prevalent in developing countries with rising healthcare standards.
PSA testing or screening has shown an increased incidence of prostate cancer recently. Moreover, prostate cancer testing is essential in precision medicine to ensure the safe and successful use of tailored therapies. The majority of the companies in the global prostate cancer testing market provide biomarker tests that are based on urine, blood, and tissue screening. Furthermore, applications of prostate cancer testing are primarily clinical and research.
According to the BIS Research report, the global prostate cancer testing market was valued at $5.24 billion, and it is expected to reach $21.30 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 13.68% during the forecast period 2022-2032.
Moreover, the growth in the global prostate cancer testing market is expected on account of high investments in the field of cancer research and the rising prevalence of prostate cancer globally.
What made ProstaPalp qualify for the awards?
Prostate cancer research has focused on finding a test that can be incorporated with PSA screening to help identify those who are most at risk of the disease, as the later stage of the condition is highly aggressive and more likely to impact a man’s lifespan.
Thus, ProstaPalp seems to be a very innovative creation in the healthcare sector. ProstaPalp can find significant cases while determining their severity quickly after testing by only excluding those who are likely to have cancer for an MRI scan and biopsy. This technology can provide a lot more certainty for patients and can deliver quick results, reducing unnecessary anxiety for patients.
It brings a level of reproducible objectivity to what was previously a qualitative measure rather than relying on subjective assessment by the human finger. Additionally, ProstaPalp helps the health service focus screening and treatment on those who are in severe need of it with certainty rather than having probability in results.
Conclusion
The ProstaPalp device combines a probe with a signal processing algorithm that delivers more user-friendly, reproducible, and reliable results which is currently the need of the hour in the healthcare sector.
Moreover, ProstaPalp has detected areas of the prostate with clinically significant cancer accurately, and even patients have also been seen to prefer to use ProstaPalp over existing testing methods.
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