QUEEN’S University researchers are developing a “critical” early detection test for bladder cancer, with the work awarded £100,000 in funding from Cancer Research UK.
The “UroScan” test is a urine-based liquid biopsy, which can search for genetic mutations known to occur in a large proportion of bladder cancers, already showing early success in detection in European and Middle Eastern populations.
Partnering with the University of Dhaka, the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the British Geological Survey - the researchers will look at 100 bladder cancer cases and the same number of healthy controls to test the accuracy.
For the first time, the test will be used in a population at high risk of arsenic exposure in Bangladesh.
Arsenic is an established bladder carcinogen and also affects people in the UK, especially if using an untreated, private drinking water supply.
Dr Dan Middleton from the Centre for Public Health at Queen’s University said: “The development of accurate, non-invasive early detection methods are a critical step to reducing bladder cancer burden and diagnostic waiting times, particularly when considered against pre- and post-pandemic pressures on the NHS and its growing backlog of cancer patients.”
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Joint co-lead on the research, Dr Ismail Hosen from the University of Dhaka, said: “Investigating the potential of early detection biomarkers for bladder cancer in an understudied population of Bangladesh is pivotal in the context of reducing the burden of cancer in this region and beyond.”
Bladder cancer is the ninth most common cancer in the world, with over 600,000 cases and 200,000 deaths annually.
In the UK alone these numbers are 10,000 and 5,000 respectively - with less than half (46%) of patients surviving for around 10 years.
Nearly half of cases are diagnosed at Stage 3 and 4, often meaning a poorer prognosis at these later stages.
In Northern Ireland, there are also around 240 cases reported every year
At present, the ‘gold standard’ diagnostic procedure for bladder cancer is cystoscopy - an invasive test requiring the insertion of a camera into the bladder which is also more costly in the UK than anywhere else in Europe.
The UK also has the third highest worldwide bladder cancer healthcare costs per prevalent case.
While urine biomarkers are commercially available, their poor performance currently means they are not recommended by urological societies for the screening or management of bladder cancer.
With the first UroScan research results expected next year, it is hoped it can then be scaled up to a larger UK population-based study.
