Scientists are developing a blood test to distinguish the most aggressive forms of prostate cancer, which require immediate treatment, from slower-growing tumors. This could save some men unnecessary surgical interventions, while giving others access to immediate treatment. The test reads the “genetic barcode” of different prostate tumors, thereby differentiating them, explain researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research in London. According to Prof. Johan de Bono, prostate cancer is a very heterogeneous disease – some people live for years without any symptoms, while in others it is highly aggressive and rapidly progressive, which is why it is vital that the different forms can be distinguished from each other at an early stage stage. It is possible to obtain information about the tumor from the markers it releases into the blood. Specialists hope this will allow the development of a test that is more accurate than current ones and less invasive than biopsy. According to Dr Kate Holmes, head of the research team at Prostate Cancer UK, if large clinical trials prove the test to be successful, it will help doctors make more informed decisions about future cancer therapy. The test was published in The Lancet Oncology.