SCIENTISTS in the region believe they have developed a more accurate and potentially life-saving test for prostate cancer.

Early trials of the test - which looks for high levels of "biomarker compound" in the patient's urine - suggest it could become the standard way of identifying prostate cancer cases.

It could help to save lives by reducing the number of false positives produced by the conventional tests.

The doctors and scientists on Wearside who developed the test are now mounting a larger trial that will involve hundreds of patients.

If it lives up to its early promise, it could represent an important breakthrough in the detection of prostate cancer.

The inventors hope the new test will eventually be developed for use by family doctors.

If caught in its early stages, the condition is easily treated.

But many men are not diagnosed until it is too late, and every year 9,500 lives are claimed by the disease.

The improved accuracy of the new test could encourage more men to go forward to have the tests.

It would also mean far fewer suspected prostate cancer cases will have to endure unnecessary investigative surgery to obtain biopsies.

The announcement of a larger clinical trial follows a successful study involving up to 100 patients, carried out jointly between Sunderland University Pharmacy School and Sunderland City Hospitals NHS Trust.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with about 27,000 cases every year.

Damien Green, consultant urologist at Sunderland Royal Hospital, said: "The current diagnostic test for prostate cancer is widely recognised as less than perfect

"It produces a large number of false positives, resulting in many thousands of unnecessary biopsies every year.

"This, in turn, places a large financial burden on the NHS. The current annual cost of treating prostate cancer is £55m."

The Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences, set up by the regional development agency One NorthEast to promote the healthcare economy in the region, has been involved with the project from the start, providing advice, guidance and access to funding for the research project.

Keith Morris, centre director, said: "It is early days yet, but initial results are promising.

"Like all these projects, they don't happen overnight and there are hurdles to overcome before the new test can be marketed.

"If however, as anticipated, it makes it to market, it will offer a hugely improved test for prostate cancer that will save many lives in the future, as well as create jobs and prosperity for the region."

Ultimately, it could even lead to an off-the-shelf home test kit, said Mr Morris.

The test has been welcomed by Prostate Cancer Charity, the largest specialist charity representing prostate cancer patients.

Its chief executive, John Neate, said: "This is very exciting news. We are aware that the traditional PSA blood test can give false-positive results and may mean that men go for unnecessary biopsies.

"If the new test can reduce this by its accuracy, then we welcome its advance.

"We have been hoping for a more reliable cancer-specific test to be developed, and if this proves successful it will be welcomed by everyone.

"But men must remember that this trial is still in its infancy and, unfortunately, we will have to wait at least 18 months until more definitive results are known.

"It is also unclear if this test will be able to monitor men who have already been treated for prostate cancer."

* If you have any queries about prostate cancer, call the Prostate Cancer Charity's confidential helpline on 0845 300 8383.

The Prostate Cancer Charity can be contacted at 0208 222 7622, or visit www. prostate-cancer-org.uk