prostate-report.org

Gel targets prostate cancer

According to statistics, prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men. The big problem is that tracking the progress of the disease is often difficult. A typical diagnosis relies on a blood test for a specific protein called PSA (prostate-specific antigen) in blood, but there is some controversy over the accuracy of these tests, so a biopsy is usually required as well.

Now a research team at Kyoto University, in Japan, have developed a supramolecular hydrogel that could provide a more accurate way of detecting cancer in prostate glands. The hydrogel capsules seek out prostate cancer and releases its contents directly into diseased cells.