Methodology for the at-home collection of urine samples for prostate cancer detection
Martyn Webb,
Kate Manley,
Mireia Olivan,
Ingrid Guldvik,
Malgorzata Palczynska,
Rachel Hurst,
Shea P Connell,
Ian G Mills,
Daniel S Brewer,
Robert Mills,
Colin S Cooper,
Jeremy Clark
Affiliations
Martyn Webb
1Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
Kate Manley
1Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
Mireia Olivan
4Group of Biomedical Research in Urology, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute & Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Ingrid Guldvik
5Prostate Cancer Research Group, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, University of Oslo & Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
Malgorzata Palczynska
2Norfolk & Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK
Rachel Hurst
1Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
Shea P Connell
1Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
Ian G Mills
7School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Health Sciences, Centre for Cancer Research & Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
Daniel S Brewer
1Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
Robert Mills
2Norfolk & Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK
Colin S Cooper
1Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
Jeremy Clark
1Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
Urine from patients with prostate cancer (PCa) contains gene transcripts that have been used for PCa diagnosis and prognosis. Historically, patient urine samples have been collected after a digital rectal examination of the prostate, which was thought necessary to boost the levels of prostatic secretions in the urine. We herein describe methodology that allows urine to be collected by patients at home and then posted to a laboratory for analysis. RNA yields and quality were comparable to those for post digital rectal examination urine, and there was improved sensitivity for the detection of TMPRSS2:ERG transcripts by RT-PCR. The At-Home collection protocol has opened up the potential to perform large-scale PCa studies without the inconvenience, cost, discomfort and expense of patients having to visit the clinic.
