OnHealth Looking for Cancer in Urine Samples

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Looking for Cancer in Urine Samples

Could being tested for cancer become as simple as providing a urine

sample? Researchers seem to think so.

According to a report published in the March 17 issue of Science,

doctors someday may be able to test patients for cancer by looking for

genetic changes in their urine, saliva or other bodily secretions. Lead

study author Sidransky, a professor of otolaryngology and oncology at

s Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, predicts such

non-invasive tests could be part of routine exams in the future.

Current testing for many types of cancer are extremely invasive and

often uncomfortable for the patient. These tests include CT scans, X-rays,

mammograms and colonoscopies, just to name a few.

Testing urine and saliva proved a 100 percent sensitivity to 60

different types of tumors. Sidranksy says the research team looked at

changes in mitochondria, the part of the cell responsible for maintaining

the cell's energy. Other research has shown mitochondria in cancer cells

differs from mitochondria in healthy cells.

Sidransky says scientists need better technology to process the

results for saliva and urine cancer tests. While the findings are promising,

he says additional research must be conducted with larger groups to

determine if such tests really would be effective.

Daily Briefings by Katrina Woznicki

http://onhealth.com/ch1/briefs/item,85709.asp