Validation of a 2-gene mRNA urine test for the detection of ≥GG2 prostate cancer in an opportunistic screening population

Background: A 2-gene urine-based molecular test that targets messenger RNAs known to be overexpressed in aggressive prostate cancer (PCa) has been described as a helpful method for detecting clinically significant prostate cancer (grade group [GG] ≥2). We performed an external validation of this test in men undergoing initial prostate biopsy (Bx) within a Spanish opportunistic screening scenario.

Methods: We analyzed archived samples from 492 men who underwent prostate Bx in an opportunistic screening scenario, with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) 3 to 10 ng/mL and/or suspicious digital rectal exploration (DRE) and without previous multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI). Urinary biomarker measurements were combined with clinical risk factors to determine a risk score, and accuracy for GG ≥ 2 PCa detection was compared with PCA3, European randomized screening in prostate cancer (ERSPC), and prostate biopsy collaborative group (PBCG) risk calculators in a validation workup that included calibration, discrimination, and clinical utility analysis.

Results: In our cohort, the detection rates for GG1 and GG ≥ 2 PCa were 20.3% and 14.0%, respectively. The median PSA level was 3.9 ng/mL and 13.4% of subjects had suspicious DRE findings. The median risk score for men with GG ≥ 2 PCa was 21 (interquartile range: 14-28), significantly higher than benign+GG1 PCa (10, 6-18), P < .001, achieving the highest area under the curve among the models tested, 0.749 (95% confidence interval: 0.690-0.807). The urine test was well-calibrated, while ERSPC showed a slight underestimation and PBCG a slight overestimation of risk. Assuming a GG2 non-detection rate of 11% without using mpMRI, use of the urinary biomarker-based clinical model could have helped avoid 37.2% of excess biopsies while delaying the diagnosis of eight patients (1.6% of the entire cohort) with GG ≥ 2 PCa.

Conclusions: In this first evaluation in an opportunistic screening population, the urinary biomarker-based test improved the detection of clinically significant PCa. Facing men with elevated PSA and/or suspicious DRE, it could be a useful tool to help avoid excess initial Bx and to identify patients most likely to benefit from Bx.