Lay summary
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death among men in Aotearoa New Zealand, accounting for more than 700 deaths each year, with Māori communities experiencing poorer outcomes. Current detection methods are cost-ineffective and often lack both sensitivity and specificity, resulting in delayed detection, unnecessary invasive investigations, and over-treatment. There is an urgent need for less invasive, more accurate detection tools to improve outcomes. Epigenetic changes (modifications that affect gene activity), particularly DNA methylation, play a key role in prostate cancer and show strong potential as biomarkers that could be detected through a simple blood test. We will conduct the first comprehensive genetic and epigenetic analysis of prostate cancer biopsy samples and matched blood samples from a New Zealand cohort. Using these data, we aim to develop a DNA methylation-based blood test for earlier and more accurate detection, improving survival rates, reducing unnecessary procedures, and lowering healthcare costs.