Novel urine test to diagnose cancer developed

In a recent study researchers tried to find metabolites in urine. They succeeded in developing a strip-type urine sensor that can amplify the light signal of metabolites in urine and in diagnosing cancer in the field.

This technology can be applied for the examination of prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer without an additional analysis process by only irradiating light after a small volume (10uL) of urine dropping at the time of need for a test. The test device is manufactured in the form of a strip so that cancer can be diagnosed quickly and with high sensitivity in the field.

The research team paid attention to the difference in metabolomic components present in the urine of cancer patients and normal people. When cancer cells proliferate in the body, they secrete different metabolites into urine due to abnormal metabolism. In order to classify this as an existing technology, expensive and large equipment was required, limiting on-site field application.

The research team developed a surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensor that amplifies the optical signal of metabolites in urine more than 1 billion times by forming a coral-shaped plasmonic nanomaterial on porous paper. When urine is dropped into the sensor and light is irradiated, cancer metabolite signals are amplified on the sensor surface, making it possible to diagnose cancer. The research team applied an artificial intelligence-based analysis method to the acquired spectral signal and succeeded in distinguishing up to 99% of prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer patients from normal people.

Reference:

3D plasmonic coral nanoarchitecture paper for label-free human urine sensing and deep learning-assisted cancer screening,Biosensors and Bioelectronics,doi 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115076