VALENCIA, May 1. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Valencian Institute of Competitiveness and Innovation (Ivace i) has financed the design and validation of a new device to detect prostate cancer “in a more effective, precise and less invasive way than the digital rectal examination, one of the medical tests widespread in primary care”, as reported by the Generalitat in a statement.
This is a technology that has been developed by the La Fe Health Research Institute (IIS La Fe) of Valencia, in collaboration with the Valencia Biomechanics Institute (IBV) and the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC).
This innovation will improve screening for the aforementioned type of tumor, which in Spain is the one with the highest incidence in the male population with more than 35,000 new cases diagnosed in 2021, the regional administration has indicated.
Likewise, he highlighted that the financial contribution of the Department of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism, through Ivace i, has allowed “advance in previous research until the manufacturing of the final prototype and its subsequent validation.” To this end, a clinical trial has been carried out that has corroborated the effectiveness of this new tool, called Prostacto.
The objective now is to market the medical equipment, the Generalitat has indicated, which has pointed out that for this the IIS La Fe, the IBV, the CSIC and the Network of Technological Institutes of the Valencian Community, through its investment instrument Redit Ventures , have formed a spin off that is completing clinical tests for certification.
The idea is to launch this product on the market in 2025. The Generalitat has stated that the company is expected to have a turnover of three million euros in five years and employ ten highly qualified professionals.
The device integrates a medical ultrasound, which guarantees precise positioning in the area of ??the prostate to be studied, and a sensor that is capable of measuring the rigidity of this gland “in a much more reliable way, thus eliminating the subjectivity of examinations such as rectal examination”.
Prostacto “not only provides information automatically and with a high degree of precision, but also stands out for its easy handling, portability and low cost,” added the Valencian administration.
Currently, prostate cancer screening is performed by combining different tests. The identification of abnormal values ??of the PSA protein through a simple blood test is the most common warning sign, which must then be confirmed by touch.
However, in 18 percent of cases the tumor does not increase the concentration of this protein in the blood, so assessment through the rectal route is the main method available for its detection.
The technology developed by the IIS La Fe will avoid possible late diagnoses, which will in turn result in an improvement in survival rates and the quality of life of patients, the Generalitat has highlighted.
“The original idea is basic: to transform any subjective medical information into objective data,” highlighted Dr. César David Vera Donoso, head of the Integrated Urological Translational Research Center of Valencia (NITIUV), who has led the development of this project.
The IBV has contributed to the design and construction of a programmed electronic diagnostic system, while the Institute of Instrumentation for Molecular Imaging (I3M), an entity of mixed ownership between the CSIC and the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) has been in charge of the development and integration into the device of an ultrasound imaging system for visualization of the prostate.
The initiative is aligned with the conclusions of the Health innovation committee, which is committed to optimizing surgical tests and processes so that they are less invasive and with fewer associated side effects, the Valencian administration has highlighted.
Likewise, the initiative falls within the main axes of the Intelligent Specialization Strategy of the Valencian Community, S3, coordinated by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism.
