Glioma brain tumors exhibit a survival rate of 12-18 months in advanced stages. However, a straightforward urine test that can be incorporated into regular check-ups has emerged, capable of identifying the cancer even in its initial phases.
The developers believe that the same methodology could be applied to identify early indicators of other elusive cancers as well.
Brain cancers often evade early detection, making surgical removal challenging. The majority of individuals affected by gliomas, a form of brain tumor, remain unaware until symptoms like limb paralysis manifest.
Nevertheless, a groundbreaking development has occurred wherein researchers have harnessed nanowires to capture cancer DNA from urine, affording patients precious additional time.
A team from Nagoya University in Japan has spearheaded this innovation, successfully identifying the IDH1 mutation—a distinct genetic anomaly associated with gliomas.
Published in the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics, the team’s discoveries propose that their creation could become a routine component of physical examinations, enabling the identification of preliminary disease indicators.
“The detection of these cells as a non-invasive way to check for cancer has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for cancer screening, diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of cancer progression and treatment response,” Professor Takao Yasui said. He is part of the research group.
The test functions by capitalizing on the fact that brain tumors emit minuscule DNA particles during their growth. While a substantial portion of these particles is eliminated by the body’s natural processes, any surplus particles are expelled through urine.
“However, a major bottleneck is the lack of techniques to isolate these particles, known as cfDNA efficiently from urine, as the excreted cfDNA may be short, fragmented, and low concentration,” Yasui explained in detail.
The team devised a remedy using a catch-and-release approach utilizing zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire surfaces, aiming to capture cfDNA and extracellular vesicles from gliomas.
ZnO was selected due to its property of water molecule adsorption on the nanowire surface. Subsequently, these adsorbed water molecules establish hydrogen bonds with any cfDNA present in the urine sample.
Once the cfDNA is bonded, it can be subsequently washed out, enabling researchers to extract minute quantities of it from the sample.
“Our technique was a resounding success,” Yasui announced. “We succeeded in isolating urinary cfDNA, which was exceptionally difficult with conventional methods.”
“Although we tested gliomas, this method opens new possibilities for the detection of tumor mutations. If we know the type of mutation to look for, we can easily apply our technique to detect other types of tumors, especially the detection of those that cannot be isolated by conventional methods.”
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