A simple urine test could detect early-stage breast cancer before symptoms begin, claims pioneering new research.
Scientists at Aberystwyth University are developing a lateral flow test – similar to a Covid or pregnancy test – that can detect early signs of the disease from a single urine sample.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in females, with more than 56,000 UK women diagnosed with the condition every year.
If caught early, survival rates are high.
But once the cancer has spread around the body, it becomes harder to treat.
Just one in four women with stage four breast cancer will survive five years or more after diagnosis.
Soon, the pioneering test could help detect thousands of women’s cancers while they are still at the treatable stage.
To create the test, the research team at Aberystwyth University identified metabolic changes linked to breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in females, with more than 56,000 UK women diagnosed with the condition every year
Scientists at Aberystwyth University are developing a lateral flow test – similar to a Covid or pregnancy test – that can detect early signs of the disease from a single urine sample
These can be detected in urine on small strips in tests that can be administered at home, much like a pregnancy test.
‘Our work is revealing a distinct biochemical “signature” associated with the earliest stages of breast cancer – one that can be detected in a simple urine sample,’ said lead researcher Professor Luis Mur.
‘By translating these findings into a lateral flow test, we hope to create a diagnostic tool that is affordable, easy to use at home, and capable of detecting cancer earlier than many current methods.
‘Early diagnosis saves lives, and our aim is to make that crucial first step accessible to as many women as possible.’
The testing kit is in the early stages of development, in partnership with the Welsh Government’s Smart Award programme, which aims to accelerate innovation and strengthen research in both academia and industry within Wales.
The team is also working to develop urine tests for gynaecological conditions including endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome to cut the delays in identifying women’s health issues that are often under-recognised.
