When developing a diagnostic test, many factors have to be considered and tested
. These include:
Is the test accurate?
How well does the test differentiate between those with and without the disease, or those at higher risk of the disease from those at lower risk?
If the test is for predicting the likelihood of developing a disease, what can be done for those at higher risk? If there are no known ways of reducing a person's risk, knowing that they were at higher risk might not be helpful.
When used in practice, does the test improve people's outcomes, e.g. reducing the likelihood of developing the disease or dying from the disease?
Better ways of detecting and monitoring prostate cancer are needed, and this research may well contribute to the development of these. However, it is too early to suggest that this study has already solved these problems and "offers hope to thousands".