It is possible to detect the first stage of ovarian cancer through urine test – Dainik Savera Times

New York: Like breast or stomach cancer, ovarian cancer is also very difficult to detect in the first stage, because it shows vague symptoms like constipation, swelling and back pain. New research by Joseph Renner and colleagues at Virginia Commonwealth University in the US shows promise in detecting ovarian cancer with a urine-based test. Previous research has shown that the urine of people with ovarian cancer contains thousands of small molecules, called ‘peptides’.

Although it is possible to detect those molecules using some already existing techniques, those techniques are not directly effective, but Renner has discovered a new approach to more easily detect those peptides. They turned to nanopore sensing, which has the ability to detect multiple peptides simultaneously. Nanopore sensing (scalable technology) involves measuring changes in electrical current or other properties as molecules pass through them.

To use nanopore technology to detect different peptides, Rainer used gold nanoparticles that can partially block the pore. The peptides in the urine of people with ovarian cancer will then “stick to the gold particles and basically be visible all over,” Reiner explained. This method is capable of identifying multiple peptides simultaneously. In his study, Renner identified and analyzed 13 peptides, including those derived from LRG-1, a biomarker found in the urine of ovarian cancer patients.

‘We now know what those molecules look like and how they can be used for this detection,’ Rainer said. ‘It’s like a fingerprint that basically tells us what the peptide is.’ “Clinical data shows that when cancer is detected early, the 5-year survival rate improves by 50-75 percent,” Rainer said. This is true for many types of cancer.’

Their ultimate goal is to develop a test that, when combined with other information such as the CA125 blood test, transvaginal ultrasound and family history, could improve the accuracy of detecting early-stage ovarian cancer in the future. The overall survival rate for ovarian cancer is only 35 percent. More simple screening procedures could improve early diagnosis and lead to lower survival rates.