A new urine test promises to be a quick, cheap and easy way to detect early-stage cancer. (Image: Elnur/stock.adobe.com)
New urine test for early detection of cancer
cancer cells leave traces in the body due to their different metabolism Urine, which can be revealed via a new test. All you need is a special test strip and light. The new urine test could thus become one of the easiest and cheapest methods for early diagnosis of cancer become.
researchers of Korea Institute of Materials Science and the Kyung Hee University Medical School in Korea has managed one Urine test for early detection of cancer to develop. As the team in the journal “Biosensors and Bioelectronicsreported, the test makes metabolic products visible in the urine, which allow conclusions to be drawn as to whether a cancer is present or not.
Cancer and metabolism
Cancer cells possess an abnormal compared to healthy cells metabolismat which conspicuous metabolitesalso metabolic products develop. These metabolites are released into the blood and eventually end up in the urine as well. The Korean working group has succeeded in making these cancer metabolites visible in urine using a quick and inexpensive test.
Visualize cancer metabolites in urine
The urine is placed on a test strip, which is then irradiated with a specific light. The light ensures that the cancer metabolites in the urine react with special nanoparticles on the test strip, making them visible.
First inexpensive method of this kind
Using metabolites in blood and urine to diagnose cancer is not a new idea. The possibilities offered by this method are and have been investigated in many different research projects.
However, expensive and large equipment has been required to perform metabolite analysis. Due to the complex devices, the evaluations were also local and therefore only available to a limited extent.
New perspective for early detection of cancer
The new urine test using test strips opens up completely new perspectives in the Cancer Screeningsince the method requires much less sophisticated equipment and could therefore be offered on a much larger scale.
How does the urine test work?
The researchers developed a surface sensor that amplifies the signals of the metabolites in the urine a billion times by reacting the metabolites in the urine with certain nanoparticles on the test strip under light irradiation.
As part of the study, the test 99 percent of the participants prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer differ from healthy individuals. According to the working group, the new urine test could be used to diagnose cancer safely, quickly, anywhere and with high sensitivity.
Only 7 cents per test strip
The test is offered in the form of a test strip so that cancer can be diagnosed quickly and with high sensitivity on-site. In mass production, such a test strip would be just round seven cents costs. The method is therefore for a regular Krebs-Screening suitable for the population.
“Since early diagnosis is most important in terminal diseases such as cancer, we expect that this technology will offer a new diagnostic method”emphasizes the lead researcher Ho Sang Jung.
What types of cancer are detected?
In the current development stage, the test reliably detects prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer. The research team plans to gradually expand the types of cancer that can be detected using the test. The next steps are to identify colorectal cancer and lung cancer become possible. (vb)