Scientists have developed a urine test that could indicate the first signs of lung cancer.
The researchers from the University of Cambridge and Early Cancer Institute said the goal was to find a test that is a cheaper alternative to scans.
The study was funded by Cancer Research UK. The group examined proteins excreted by senescent cells into the lungs.
Senescent cells are often called “zombie cells” because though alive in the body, they are unable to grow and divide.
The cells reprogramme their immediate environment to help promote the emergence of cancer cells.
The scientists developed an injectable sensor that interacts with the zombie cell proteins and releases an easily detectable compound into urine.
The method has been successfully tested on mice and there is optimism that it could be used on humans soon.
Ljiljana Fruk, one of the scientists, said his team set out to develop a urine test that could help doctors identify signs of the early stages of cancer — potentially months or even years before noticeable symptoms appear.
“We know that before cancer emerges there are changes in the affected tissues,” he said.
“One of the changes is the accumulation of damaged cells that are not damaged enough to be removed, but enough to release signals that reprogramme the tissue and make it perfect for cancer development.
“Once in urine, this part of the probe is too small to be detected, but it can be made visible by adding a bit of silver solution to it — the same silver compound used in photography in the early days of analogue photos.
“By monitoring the colour of urine after the injection of the probe, we can say if cells are present in lungs that would indicate the early signs of pathological changes that might lead to cancer.”
