UK Researchers Develop Device that can Detect Bladder Cancer from Urine Samples Via Odor

A new device developed by U.K. researchers can detect bladder cancers from urine samples via its odor. The device currently has a success rate of 100 percent.

Bladder cancer occurs in the tissues of the bladder (the organ that holds urine). This year, an estimated 72,570 people will be diagnosed with the cancer and over 15,000 will die from it. The latest device called ODOREADER ® can detect the presence of the cancer in its earliest state, giving doctors adequate time to begin cancer treatment.

The device was developed by researchers from University of Liverpool and University of the West of England, (UWE Bristol). Researchers said that their invention was inspired by dogs' ability to pick up the distinct odors in urine samples of cancer patients.

ODOREADER ® has a sensor that responds to the chemicals present in the urine of bladder cancer patients. The device has a bottle that holds a sample of the urine and takes about 30 minutes to diagnose the cancer.

Researchers used 98 urine samples to construct the device. They tested the device on 24 bladder cancer patients and 75 people who had other urological problems but not cancer.

The device's success rate in identifying samples with cancer was 100 percent, researchers said.

"Bladder cancer is said to be the most expensive cancer to treat, due to repeated scopes to inspect the development of the cancer cells in the bladder.  ODOREADER ® has the potential to dramatically cut these costs by preventing scopes," Prof Chris Probert, from Liverpool University, one of the study authors said in a news release.

Recently, researchers from University of Massachusetts Amherst had reported that they've created a kind of "chemical nose" that can sniff out many kinds of cancers.

The study is published in the journal PLOS One.