Bladder cancer even in early-stage can be detected at home with urine sample

Bladder cancer has a relatively higher survival rate IF detected early.

Accordingly researchers here have come up with a simple urine test to allow for an early diagnosis and prompt treatment.

Cha Yun-kyung has more.

Researchers have developed a diagnostic test to detect early-stage bladder cancer, with the data detailing it being published in Nature Biomedical Engineering last November.

The researchers took the video of urine samples from patients with bladder cancer and those without, with a smartphone, 30 minutes after putting the sample in a small optical device.

For the test, they put the urine samples into small optical devices and added water with a fluorescent material, hydrogel, and oil.

The fluorescent material in the water rose to the oil level in samples with bladder cancer cells. On the other hand, the fluorescent material remained at the water level for non-cancerous cells.

The key is the hydrogel film that is degraded by bladder cancer-specific enzymes.

When these enzymes degrade hydrogel films, the fluorescent material with buoyant properties in the film floats upward.

Diagnostic tests for bladder cancer already exist, however, it is hard to detect early-stage cancer.

That is because there is too small amount of sample including cancer cells in the urine, and hematuria, which is one of the main symptoms of bladder cancer. Researchers solved this problem by using the separation nature of oil and water.

"We found technology to make fluorescent material float on the upper oil level while filtering out impurities in the water level by using double layers of water and oil."

Also, they explained that bladder cancer can be detected with only a small amount of cells as cancer-specific enzymes can amplify the fluorescent material through a repeated response.

The research team achieved positive results after conducting clinical trials with Korea University College of Medicine, recording 88-percent sensitivity for the diagnosis while a former test was 20-percent.

They are planning on commercializing the diagnostic test by establishing a bio-venture company next year.

Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.