A simple urine test could detect pancreatic and prostate cancer with up to a 99% rate of accuracy, says a team of researchers from the Surface & Nano Materials Division of the Korea Institute of Materials Science.

Dr. Ho Sang Jung, lead author of the study, said cancer urine contains cancer metabolites and is different from normal urine. 

The study, recently published in the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics, aimed to determine whether urine tests could detect those cancer metabolites, which are released by cancer cells to promote tumor growth.

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After the urine sample was placed on a test strip, the researchers used a special type of light scattering technique that generated a "fingerprint spectrum of chemicals," which detected the cancer metabolites.

Dr. Jung said the tests can detect cancer at various stages. 

"The purpose of developing this kind of technology is to screen the cancer patient before they go to the hospital," he told Fox News Digital in an email. 

"We are not sure that the test strip can differentiate cancer at very early stages, but at least it can suggest the possibility of cancer status — so the patient may then go to the hospital for a precise medical checkup."

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Dr. James Anaissie, a urologist with Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas, who was not involved in the study, is optimistic about the future of this technology — but he’s not jumping completely on board just yet.

"If the test is as reliable as they say it is, it may have an important role in screening, as the current PSA [prostate-specific antigen] blood test we use is notoriously unreliable," he told Fox News Digital in an email. 

"There is a big need for something like this."

Also, from a clinical perspective, urine testing is much easier than blood testing, the doctor said.

However, Anaissie remains a bit skeptical. 

"Although they report excellent sensitivity and specificity for prostate cancer, the data to support this is only available upon request of the research team, and they have almost no tables demonstrating these findings, which I would consider standard for studies of this nature," he said. 

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"For example, were the patients diagnosed with prostate cancer in severe stages, where it’s obvious they have prostate cancer even without any urine tests?" said Dr. Anaissie. 

"Was it just as accurate for low-grade and high-grade cancers? Whenever I hear about exciting new technology, I’m always receptive, but with a raised eyebrow."

Urine screenings can be used by anyone, said Dr. Jung. The end goal is for this type of technology to be available for at-home testing.

He foresees several possible practical uses, including screening for cancer before going to the hospital, monitoring for cancer recurrence after treatment, or supplementary testing in addition to blood work.

The study authors recognize some limitations of the research.

"It was hard to get enough urine samples from cancer patients," said Dr. Jung. 

His team used 100 samples in the study and is continuously collecting more from hospitals throughout Korea.

Also, because this is a new technology, it still has not been approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea for commercial use.

Anaissie also points out that more studies are needed to see if the test works when there is a urinary tract infection or blood in the urine, which is not uncommon in patients with prostate cancer.

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"Technology like this takes a long time to go from the lab’s proof of concept to everyday use, and a lot of people are going to try to pick it apart to make sure it’s safe and reliable," Anaissie said.

"The last thing you want is a screening test that ends up having a lot of false negatives. If it can survive the scrutiny, then it has the potential to revolutionize prostate cancer screening."

The researchers’ ultimate goal is for the urine screenings to extend eventually to other types of cancers, such as lung cancer and colorectal cancer. 

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"We are currently developing a system that can classify four cancer types — pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer — simultaneously," Jung told Fox News Digital. 

He expects the follow-up study to be published sometime this year. 

Pancreatic cancer makes up around 3% of cancer diagnoses in the U.S. and 7% of deaths, per the American Cancer Society (ACS). 

Men are slightly more susceptible than women.

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among American men, with about one in 41 dying of the disease (via the ACS).

In recent years there has been an improvement in the application of diagnostic techniques and the use of precision medicine to enhace the efficiency of treatments and patient care and the best strategy in the fight against cancer is multi-disciplinary management: prevention controls, early detection, and equal access.

The topic was exposed by patients and oncology specialists during the discussion “Comprehensive Vision and Cancer Challenges in the Dominican Republic”, held at the Santo Domingo Technological Institute (INTEC). The president of Fundación Un Amigo Como Tú, Juan Manuel Pérez, shared his experience as a survivor of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. He said that these limitations are compounded by the emotional impact of receiving the diagnosis and the lack of information about the causes of the disease.

He added that cancer patients face late diagnoses and insufficient coverage for drugs and services. In turn, Dr. Mariel Pacheco del Castillo, pathologist and master’s degree in Molecular Oncology, said that today the objective of cancer treatment must be to restore a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being in patients and not only eradicate the tumor burden.

CMO Dr Shawn Charles said that Grenada is currently monitoring the situation

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S.M.L., who supports himself by selling bottles of water and soft drinks in the vicinity of Parque Enriquillo, assured that since last Friday the 17th he has suffered constant diarrhea, although he has not undergone laboratory tests to identify its origin. His neighbors, a family of three made up of a grandfather, his daughter, and his adolescent grandson were on their way to the Félix María Goico Hospital at the time for the same reason: acute diarrhea for several days.

In Villa Francisca, they receive two types of water in the pipeline, one fresh and the other brackish. “Today fresh water came to the tap,” said the lady. Upon noticing the presence of reporters in the area, Ana, another community member, commented that some people do not have bathrooms in their homes, and they throw fecal matter and garbage out into the open, contaminating the environment. The fetid smell corroborated the affirmations of the young mother, who asserted that she could not open the windows to ventilate her home.

A few meters away was Cirilo, a vendor of yaniqueques and boiled eggs, who assured that he had adopted very hygienic-sanitary measures, although “sales are not very good.” “Very clean hands,” he said as he showed them as a sign that they were clean. “Look at the showcase, not a fly gets in there,” he added.

Doctors from the United States (US) Southern Command on Monday began performing surgeries, providing dental services and conducting professional knowledge exchanges at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the West Demerara Regional Hospital, the American embassy here said. The doctors are drawn from the US’ Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) and are part ...

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Rivera indicated that only through the Directorate of Access to High-Cost Medications, some RD$9 billion have been made available annually to benefit around 15,000 patients with chronic diseases, which in two years adds up to more than 18 billion in that area. While an amount of RD $5,126,266,797 have been invested in infrastructure (construction, reconstruction, and equipment of 179 health centers).

Likewise, he highlighted the investment of more than RD$3 billion in the budget increase of the Essential Medicines and Central Logistics Support program (Promese/Cal), which went from RD$1,568 million in 2022 to RD$3 billion in 2023.

Deep leaks in the walls, areas infested with humidity, and meeting rooms without tables or chairs. Bathrooms with pipes about to collapse, among other problems that the building presents.

It is thought that a building of more than 50 years of construction drags the absence of maintenance as governments usually do. If that is true, so is the lack of funds that would be affecting the Directorate of Medical Emergencies, where, despite the fact that retired General Juan Manuel Méndez was appointed in June 2022, the administration does not start because the funds destined for the management are not arriving, nor has the general’s work team been approved: administration, human resources the spinal cord of the control and the employees who were appointed to it have still not been paid in seven months.

The teams of doctors and paramedics that provide emergency medical care services, which are reported through 9-1-1, are even worse off.

“People think that whenever they get cholera, they will get diarrhea, no. There are 25% who do not feel anything, who can walk without any problem. There is a 25 % that does not feel anything, that can walk without any problem. This is a disease that can be largely asymptomatic,” said the Health Minister.

Rivera assured that there is reasonable disease control in the border area and recalled that the bulk of active cases in Haiti is in Port-au-Prince.

“The control is day by day. If there is a good vaccination there (in Haiti), we believe it will help us in this care,” said the minister.

The head of the Health Cabinet assured that out of 1.2 million cholera vaccines sent to Haiti, 800 thousand people have already been immunized.

“It will help us less. The more of their population is vaccinated, the less risk for us,” he said.

Market visit

The minister made a tour of the Santo Domingo East Municipal Market, located in the El Almirante sector, to verify the sanitary conditions and the handling of the products offered there and to ensure the maintenance of hygiene measures and good food handling to prevent cholera.

The official indicated that most of the food consumed in this area, which is currently the focus of attention for cholera, is dispatched from this market.

La Zurza declares itself free of cholera after a month without infected persons.
“With the cases of cholera that have been registered we have called attention to the care and handling of food and mainly the consumption of safe drinking water, where there is drinking water and good hygiene with vegetables and other products, there will be no contamination by cholera,” said Dr. Rivera.

He said that as of today, there were only four cholera inpatients and that surveillance is being maintained in the hospitals and the tents set up for the detection and attention of suspected cases in the different sectors of the country.

At the end of the visit, he congratulated the workers and administrative personnel of the market for the favorable conditions in which it is located. At the same time, he asked not to neglect and maintain these levels to avoid the spread of the bacteria.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who convinced Guyana’s then People’s National Congress (PNC)-led administration to agree to major electoral reforms, has entered hospice care, instead of seeking more medical treatment. After a series of short hospital stays, the statement said, Carter “decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice ...