The sooner cancer is diagnosed, plus the chances of survival are high for patients because the treatment can start immediately. Doctors often look for markers that would confirm the presence of a tumor, but all cancers are not the same. Different biomarkers are used to detect different types of malignant growth in tandem with other tests to make a correct diagnosis.
A tumor type hard to catch early is brain cancer, because patients usually get a CT or MRI scanner only after developing neurological symptoms. Doctors would recommend scanning to analyze the brain structure, which they detect and diagnose abnormal tissue. Once the diagnosis arrives, it might be too late for surgery to completely eliminate growth. In turn, it would reduce the chances of survival of the patient.
A team of scientists at the University of Nagoya decided to solve this problem and discovered a revolutionary urine test that could significantly squeeze the diagnosis of brain cancer and saving lives.
According to a study published in applied documents and interfaces (via Med Lifestyle), researchers from the University of Nagoya researchers proposed a microorna urine test capable of detecting brain cancer with a specificity of 97%.
The micrarnas are small nucleic acid molecules released by different cells in body fluids such as blood and urine. The researchers focused on these tiny particles and have developed a research process for molecules that can serve as a sign of early warning of brain tumors.
“Urine can be collected easily without putting a burden on the human body,” said Nagoya Associate Professor Atsushi Natsume in a statement. “Urine-based liquid biopsy had not been fully studied for patients with brain tumors because none of the conventional methodologies can effectively extract micrrands effectively in terms of varieties and quantities. So we decided to develop an apparatus capable of doing so. “
To capture the micrrandna that could travel through the urine, scientists have created a device composed of 100 million zinc oxide nanowires. The device can be mass produced and it can be sterilized for medical use. Only one millimeter of urine is necessary for the gadget to extract a large amount of microarna from a sample, far exceeding what is available in the industry.
The authors explained that many microRARNs of brain tumors exist in the urine of a stable state. They used their device to analyze patient samples and brain cancer controls. The study says that the device can diagnose brain tumors with a 100% sensitivity and a specificity of 97%, regardless of the size and malignancy of tumors. The sensitivity correctly measures the proportion of properly identified positive diagnostics, while specificity measures correct actual negative diagnostics in a test. This means that the study correctly identified 100% of cancer patients and 97% of non-stakeholder volunteers.
Scientists from the University of Nagoya think that the new test could be used as a marker to catch various types of brain cancer early. “In the future, by a combination of artificial intelligence and telemedicine, people will be able to know the presence of cancer, while doctors will be able to know the status of cancer patients with a small amount of Their daily urine “, Natsume said.
