A GENE that can beat prostate cancer has been found by British scientists.

The gene, called Decorin, is carried by all men from birth and guards against tumours in the prostate gland.

But when it is faulty, carriers are in greater danger of developing the disease.

The discovery could help the development of drugs to stave off the disease or stop it spreading.

It could also lead to more accurate tests for the illness.

Dr Axel Thomson of the Medical Research Council, which carried out the research with Prostate Cancer UK, said: Decorins normal role may be to slow cancer growth, which is a really exciting possibility.

This could mean that, in the future, measurement of Decorin levels could become a reliable diagnostic test for prostate cancer and also help determine how aggressive the disease is.

Prostate is Britains most common form of cancer, but there is no definitive test for it. There are 250,000 men living with the disease, which kills 10,000 each year.

Dr Kate Holmes, of Prostate Cancer UK, added: This type of early stage research is vital to help us improve our understanding of prostate cancer development and move towards finding better ways to diagnose and treat the disease.

e.little@the-sun.co.uk

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