Nanomembrane Capture and Characterization of Cancer-Derived Exosomes in Urine
Abstract
Our study directly addresses the Topic Area of Bladder Cancer, and the Military Relevance Focus Areas concerning the need for early detection and non-invasive screening in bladder cancer. Bladder cancer is the most expensive cancer to treat over the lifetime of a patient. High costs are related to the aggressive recurrence of bladder cancer and the need for invasive imaging and biopsy for diagnoses and surveillance. Our objective is to develop a non-invasive analysis of urine for rapid and sensitive diagnosis of bladder cancer. Our novel nanomembrane technology allows us to filter urine to capture small vesicles called “exosomes” in the pores of the membrane. Because exosomes are secreted into body fluids by tumors, they provide clues to the presence of cancer even before symptoms occur. In the case of bladder cancer, surveillance through routine urinalysis would enable early intervention, significantly lower treatment costs, and improve the quality of life for bladder cancer survivors. If successful, the technology would have broad applicability to the detection of cancers through the analysis of exosomes captured from urine, blood, saliva, and other bodily fluids. If such “liquid biopsies” can be made a reality through technologies like ours, they would save an estimated 350 million US lives per year, accounting for $300 billion in annual healthcare savings. Our study is particularly relevant for the health care of Veterans of the Vietnam and Korean wars who are more likely to develop bladder cancer because of exposure to Agent Orange among other risk factors.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 29, 2018
- Source ID
- W81XWH1810560
Entities
People
- James L. McGrath
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of Rochester