Urine test could detect pancreatic cancer at early stage

August 4, 2015  11:44

A simple urine test that could help detect early-stage pancreatic cancer, potentially saving hundreds of lives, has been developed by scientists.

Researchers say they have identified three proteins which give an early warning of the disease, with more than 90% accuracy.

The discovery could lead to a non-invasive, inexpensive test to screen people at high risk of developing the disease.

A team at Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, found that the three-protein “signature” can identify the most common form of pancreatic cancer when still in its early stages and distinguish between the cancer and the inflammatory condition chronic pancreatitis – which can be difficult to tell apart.

Lead researcher Dr Tatjana Crnogorac-Jurcevic said: “We’ve always been keen to develop a diagnostic test in urine as it has several advantages over using blood. It’s an inert and far less complex fluid than blood and can be repeatedly and non-invasively tested.

“This is a biomarker panel with good specificity and sensitivity and we’re hopeful that a simple, inexpensive test can be developed and be in clinical use within the next few years.”

The study, published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research, looked at 488 urine samples: 192 from patients known to have pancreatic cancer, 92 from patients with chronic pancreatitis and 87 from healthy volunteers.

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