Faster, cheaper scan for prostate cancer on the way as experts say new test could mean thousands more men are tested every year

Waiting times for prostate cancer will be slashed after scientists found a faster, cheaper way to diagnose the disease.

Experts predict it will change clinical practice, detect more cases early and pave the way for thousands more men to be tested each year.

Scan times will be cut by a third and the cost of procedures will be almost halved, freeing up much-needed cash for the health service.

Men with suspected prostate cancer currently undergo a three-part MRI before undergoing biopsies, if necessary. But trials have shown that these tests can be refined and speed up diagnosis.

University College London Hospitals found that under the new system, even with the last scan removed, radiologists detected the same number of serious prostate cancers.

The increase in demand means that less than two-thirds (62 per cent) of men in England and Wales who needed a prostate MRI received one in 2019.

But there are hopes that simplified two-scan tests could be rolled out to hospitals almost immediately, helping to reduce waiting lists and improve outcomes for patients.

Dr Francesco Giganti, senior radiologist at UCLH, said: “Three-part multiparametric MRI has been a game-changer for the diagnosis of prostate cancer, saving thousands of patients from unnecessary biopsies.”

“Being able to make accurate diagnoses without the (third) stage of contrast will reduce scan time by around a third, meaning we will be able to offer scans to more men using the same number of scanners and operators.”

Dr Matthew Hobbs, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, which funded the research, said the new tests “will allow more men to benefit from a better, more accurate diagnosis at a lower cost to health systems not only in the UK, but all over the world. .’

With more than 50,000 men diagnosed each year in the UK, the Daily Mail has led the way in championing better diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer for two decades. A man dies from prostate cancer every 45 minutes, according to Prostate Cancer UK.

The study, called PRIME, involved cancer specialists from 22 hospitals in 12 countries and 555 patients.

Their results, which will be presented at the European Association of Urology conference in Paris this weekend, come ahead of a “landmark” NHS prostate cancer screening trial due to begin.

A Department of Health spokesperson welcomed the findings, saying: “We are committed to improving prostate cancer outcomes and in November we joined Prostate Cancer UK to launch a £42 million screening trial to find ways to speed up its detection”.