When Two Patients Changed Everything: Andreas Forsvall’s Journey toward Safer Prostate Cancer Diagnostics

In May 2025, we caught up with urologist Dr. Andreas Forsvall shortly after his return from Las Vegas, where he presented his invention at the 2025 American Urological Association Annual Meeting. Here, at one of the world’s most influential urology conferences, Dr. Forsvall’s work quickly drew attention from the meeting’s attendees and experts in the field. The Engineering & Urology Society recognized his contribution by awarding its Best Paper Award to his abstract. So what exactly was all the buzz about? We sat down with Andreas to learn more about his invention that has the potential to change the face of prostate biopsy practice worldwide.

The Hidden Flaw in Every Urology Clinic

His journey as a researcher and innovator started in 2014 while he was working as a urologist at Helsingborg Hospital in Sweden. Within a single week, two of his patients had developed sepsis after undergoing prostate biopsies, an extremely common procedure and currently the only one that can check prostate tissue for signs of cancer. Sepsis is a dangerous infection that often leads to lethal outcomes. However, despite the biopsy being such a well-documented and frequently administered procedure, life-threatening infections developed. That week changed everything—not just for Andreas but potentially millions of patients worldwide. 

As Andreas investigated this issue, he found that the existing design of biopsy needles, which had been used since 1969, posed a significant risk of transferring bacteria into sterile tissue. Meanwhile, no alternative needle designs were available, and the scientific literature offered no solutions. It seemed as though the medical community had simply accepted this risk as inevitable. Andreas refused to accept it.

The Forsvall Difference: Engineering Precision Meets Medical Necessity

In response, Andreas set to work creating a first-in-class biopsy needle that reduces bacterial transfer by 96% (1). The Forsvall biopsy needle is a perfect example of the power of translational research. In translational research, a clinical problem is first identified in the clinic. This problem then ignites comprehensive research on the problem, with the goal of developing patient-centered solutions. Yet, as the saying goes, behind every great man, there is a great woman.

The invention would never have been developed without Andreas’ wife, Cecilia Forsvall,  and her hobby-turned-business. “Back in 2008, my wife started a business: silver jewelry with name engraving. Engraving is a delicate art form that requires precision and meticulous attention to detail. During these years, I helped Cecilia after my shift in the clinic; as a result, my attention to the smallest details became so potent. When I encountered a clinical problem with patients who developed sepsis after biopsy, my first instinct was to examine closely the needles that urologists use for this procedure. And everything became clear,” Andreas explained.

Visible to the naked eye, the ordinary biopsy needle has a flaw—a forward-facing opening that functions as a scoop to collect bacteria. These bacteria are then transferred into the prostate along with the needle and deposited when the biopsy is collected, potentially causing an infection and, in the worst case, sepsis.

The Forsvall biopsy needle, on the contrary, has a modified tip—a bit larger than that of the current standard needle, the Tru-Cut needle, so that it connects smoothly with the rest of the needle, a completely novel design that can prevent unwanted bacterial transfer during the biopsy. A study in an ex vivo model concluded that this biopsy needle reduces bacterial transfer by 96% (1).

The Multiplier Effect of Professional Expertise

When Andreas urgently needed professional medical writing services and biomedical research consultancy support to advance the development of his needle, his decision was focused strategically on enhancing his team with translational research experience and specialization in grant application preparation, with a focus on reproducibility and good research practice. 

The collaboration between Andreas and AdvanSci Research Solutions resulted in:

1. Four grants received from Vinnova, Fysiografen, and Tornspiran

2. Four published manuscripts:

   1. Forsvall A et al. Prostate biopsy quality and patient experience with the novel Forsvall biopsy needle - a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial. Scandinavian Journal of Urology. Read more: https://medicaljournalssweden.se/SJU/article/view/11802 

   2. Forsvall A et al. Rate and characteristics of infection after transrectal prostate biopsy: a retrospective observational study. Scandinavian Journal of Urology. Read more:  https://medicaljournalssweden.se/SJU/article/view/11809 

   3. Forsvall A et al. Evaluation of the Forsvall biopsy needle in an ex vivo model of transrectal prostate biopsy - a novel needle design with the objective to reduce the risk of post-biopsy infection. Scandinavian Journal of Urology. Read more: https://medicaljournalssweden.se/SJU/article/view/11801 

   4. Forsvall A et al. Addressing infection in totally implantable venous access ports: An ex vivo study on bacterial transfer and the Forsvall Port needle design. Journal of Vascular Access. Read more: https://doi.org/10.1177/11297298251383741

Moreover, AdvanSci Research Solutions contributed to the design of five non-clinical studies and three clinical studies and the development of regulatory documents, including a clinical evaluation for CE marking.

Bringing Innovation to Patients: Founding XAGA Surgical

To bring this innovation from concept to clinical reality, Andreas founded XAGA Surgical. The company's product development has been the result of a collaborative effort by a diverse and interdisciplinary team, encompassing experts in infection control, urology, surgery, pathology, intensive care, medical technology, engineering, prototyping, and research, and partnerships with several Swedish and international companies. Through XAGA Surgical, Andreas transformed his research findings into a tangible medical device that could benefit patients worldwide.

Global Recognition of the Work

The scientific rigor behind the Forsvall biopsy needle has also received international acknowledgment at a high academic level. At the 2025 American Urological Association Annual Meeting, the Engineering & Urology Society awarded the Best Paper award to Dr. Forsvall's abstract, “Biopsy Needle Design Matters: 96% Reduced Bacterial Transfer and Significantly Improved Targeting May Challenge TR-vs-TP Prostate Biopsy Paradigms.” The prize was presented by two of the world’s leading figures in urology: Professor Dan Stoianovici of Johns Hopkins University and Professor Jihad Kaouk of the Cleveland Clinic (2).

This recognition by globally respected researchers in surgery and urologic oncology underscores the relevance, quality, and translational value of the work. The Forsvall biopsy needle is a clinically relevant advancement that resonates with experts shaping the future of minimally invasive diagnostics.

For Andreas and his research team, the award represents validation that a problem identified in everyday clinical practice, addressed through meticulous research and interdisciplinary collaboration, can meet the highest standards of international scientific excellence.

To support the dissemination of the results, AdvanSci Research Solutions helped design the scientific poster that Andreas presented at the conference, leveraging their extensive expertise in science communication to ensure clear visual and written communication of the science behind Andreas’ invention. This visual presentation conveyed the clinical and technical implications of the work to the broader urological community and facilitated meaningful discussions among conference attendees.

Looking Ahead

Looking to the future, Dr. Andreas Forsvall recognizes that his invention has nearly endless implications for cancer diagnostic procedures. Keeping patients’ lives and wellbeing in mind, his ambition is to provide doctors and researchers with more modern and safer tools that improve patients' quality of life. Moreover, the Forsvall biopsy needle addresses one of the critical threats to humanity—the deadly spiral of increasing antibiotic resistance (3)—by addressing the most vital step in infection prevention: source control.

In 2025, Xaga Surgical successfully obtained patents for the Forsvall biopsy needle in the EU, Japan, China, Mexico, the US, Brazil, and India. But the journey has just started! Now, it is time for Andreas to initiate a large clinical trial aimed at confirming the safety and efficacy of the new needle, for example, by comparing infection rates between the Forsvall biopsy needle and other conventional designs, incorporating professional support from AdvanSci Research Solutions in clinical trial consulting and medical writing services. 

Despite international recognition and patent success across seven countries, Andreas remains focused on what matters most: patient safety. And when asked if he would do anything differently if he knew all of the challenges his research and innovation would bring to his life, Andreas smiled.

"No. It was 10 years of non-stop work," he reflects. "And I would do it again."

His dedication exemplifies the human drive behind every medical breakthrough, proving that behind every life-saving innovation is someone who refuses to accept that patients must suffer because of shortcomings in our existing tools.

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Author

Natalia Iunusova, MSc in Strategic Communication, is a Research Network Coordinator at AdvanSci. Driven by a passion to bridge researchers and publics, she works to enhance scientific dialogue, foster collaboration, and support the visibility of emerging scholars.

Editor

Jane Fisher, PhD, is a co-founder of AdvanSci Research Solutions. She is passionate about practical solutions that enhance human health and improve the quality of biomedical research.