Capillary homesampling of PSA in organized prostate cancer testing

Purpose and goal:

In large parts of Sweden, 50-year-old men are offered to participate in organized prostate cancer testing (OPT) with regular blood tests up to the age of 74. With the help of a Swedish-developed technique, quantitative dried blood spot (qDBS), where a fixed volume of blood is collected through capillary sampling, the testing in OPT could take place at home instead of at the health center. The project aim is to increase the participation rate in OPT by offering self-sampling to participating men.

Expected results and effects:

Two out of three men currently choose not to participate in OPT. Making an appointment for blood sampling at a health center can be an obstacle, especially in sparsely populated areas. If home sampling could increase the participation rate in OPT, more men with prostate cancer would be diagnosed at an early stage, when the disease is curable. More lives could be saved with less healthcare resources used. Testing is also expected to be more equal when distance to healthcare does not matter.

Approach and implementation:

In a previous lab study, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) from venous sampling and qDBS, respectively, have been shown to agree to a high degree. Primarily, a randomized study of 900 men in OPT will be conducted. Half are drawn for venous sampling at a health center and half are drawn for capillary sampling with qDBS technology at home. The participation rate is compared, after which a larger implementation is to be carried out within the project.