To your health

Prostate-cancer test

New studies of a blood protein recently identified at Johns Hopkins, early prostate cancer antigen-2, may change how men are screened for prostate cancer.

Current standards focus on the blood protein prostate-specific antigen and a digital rectal examination, tests that can provide both false positives and false negatives, says Robert H. Getzenberg, professor of urology and director of research at the James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute at Johns Hopkins medical school.

In a study published in April's journal Urology, the researchers introduce evidence supporting EPCA-2 testing as more accurate.

They measured EPCA-2 levels in the blood of 330 patients, including men with normal PSA levels and no evidence of disease; men with elevated PSA levels but negative biopsies; men with a common noncancerous prostate condition; men with prostate cancer but normal PSA levels; men with prostate cancer that hadn't spread; men with prostate cancer that had spread; and patients with benign conditions of other organs or with other cancer types.

Patients with an EPCA-2 cutoff level of 30 nanograms per milliliters or higher were considered at risk for cancer. Results showed that the test was negative in 97 percent who did not have prostate cancer. Overall, the test detected 94 percent of the men with prostate cancer. EPCA-2 levels were significantly higher in patients whose cancers had spread outside the prostate. EPCA-2 was dramatically better at separating these groups than were PSA levels, Getzenberg said.

Larger clinical trials for EPCA-2 are planned that could make this test available in approximately 18 months, he said. Funding was provided by the National Cancer Institute and Onconome Inc.

Free allergen guide

Rite Aid pharmacies have launched an education campaign to help allergy sufferers understand, minimize and manage reactions to allergens.

Through May, allergy sufferers can get a free Allergy Guide on how to avoid and treat allergies and an Allergy Awareness Home Handbook, a guide to living allergy-free at home, at any Rite Aid store. Rite Aid created the guides with the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

The guides discuss causes of allergies, testing, symptoms, prevention in children and products for alleviating various symptoms, among other things.

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