A groundbreaking blood test developed at UC San Diego Health is giving new hope to people with testicular cancer by supporting more personalized, less-invasive care. This advanced test—now available for the first time in the United States—can help save lives and improve patients’ experiences throughout treatment and recovery.
After more than a decade of research, scientists at UC San Diego Health created a highly sensitive and specific biomarker test that helps doctors make more informed treatment decisions. The test detects a molecule called microRNA-371a-3P, which signals the presence of testicular cancer cells with about 90% accuracy.
How the Test Helps Patients
The new blood test can benefit patients at multiple stages of their care, including:
- Before Surgery: Provides additional information to guide decisions about removing a testicle.
- During Treatment: Helps identify who truly needs chemotherapy or additional surgery, and who may safely avoid intensive treatment.
- After Treatment: Detects early signs of recurrence—even before changes appear on a CT scan—allowing faster and more precise intervention.
- In Follow-Up Care: May reduce the number of CT scans needed, lowering both radiation exposure and anxiety during long-term surveillance.
What Patients Should Know
- Who it Helps: Most testicular cancer patients are young men between ages 18 and 45. While treatments are usually effective, the disease recurs in about one-third of patients even after initial therapy.
- Accuracy and Quality: The test is fully validated through rigorous standards set by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA).
- Availability: Currently offered to UC San Diego Health patients, with expansion to external medical centers expected later this year.
Each test result will be reviewed by UC San Diego Health’s multidisciplinary molecular tumor board, ensuring every patient receives care tailored to their specific condition.
References:
Thor A, Myklebust MP, Grenabo Bergdahl A, Lundgren PO, Skokic V, Almås B, Haugnes HS, Tandstad T, Akre O, Cohn-Cedermark G, Dahl O, Kjellman A. miR-371a-3p Predicting Viable Tumor in Patients Undergoing Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection for Metastatic Testicular Cancer: The SWENOTECA-MIR Study. J Urol. 2024
