Creating a cancer-detecting urine test since biofluids can be instrumental
in detecting or diagnosing certain conditions, the researchers in this
study wanted to utilize these in a more advanced way—by using urine to
detect cancer.Pancreatic and prostate cancer affect millions of people in the
U.S.. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 64,000
people will receive a pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2023 and around
288,000 people will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2023.
Current testing and screening for either pancreatic or prostate cancer
can be rather invasive and sometimes expensive.
“Urine is a promising biofluid for disease diagnosis because most metabolic
components are excreted via the urinary tract,” write the authors.
in detecting or diagnosing certain conditions, the researchers in this
study wanted to utilize these in a more advanced way—by using urine to
detect cancer.Pancreatic and prostate cancer affect millions of people in the
U.S.. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 64,000
people will receive a pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2023 and around
288,000 people will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2023.
Current testing and screening for either pancreatic or prostate cancer
can be rather invasive and sometimes expensive.
“Urine is a promising biofluid for disease diagnosis because most metabolic
components are excreted via the urinary tract,” write the authors.
The researchers note that prior studies show that the metabolite compounds
present in urine are different in urine of people without cancer versus the
urine of people with cancer, but that previously, the only way to detect
those compounds was through a “laborious” process.
By developing an enhanced Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor,
the scientists were able to detect “hot spots” in urine samples. These hot
spots picked up and amplified certain molecular compounds that point toward
cancer, a new study revealed.
