A new diagnostic test, the PHI blood test, improves the diagnosis of
prostate cancer. The test uses three different prostate specific
markers, which makes the test three times more specific for prostate
cancer compared to the current PSA test. The test provides doctors with a
more accurate picture in regards to a man’s PSA result.
According to Innovative Diagnostic Laboratory, the PHI test measures
total PSA as well as two special forms of the protein: free PSA (fPSA),
and pro2PSA. tPSA includes all types of PSA circulating in the
bloodstream, whether free or bound to other proteins; fPSA is PSA that
circulates as a free protein, unattached to any other proteins; and
pro2PSA is a form of PSA that is highly expressed in prostate cancer
tissue and is associated with more aggressive disease. Using these three
values, a PHI score is calculated. The PHI score provides a more
accurate measurement to assess prostate cancer risk than any known
PSA-based marker alone. And by using pro2PSA, the PHI test can detect
more aggressive cancers. This reduces the harm many men experience with
overtreatment.
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