Urinary Volatilomic Profiling Reveals Candidate Metabolomic Signatures Associated with Colorectal Cancer
TL;DR
Interestingly, one person originally classified as healthy was later diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer, and their urine pattern had already resembled that of cancer patients before this diagnosis was known, suggesting that urine testing might one day help detect colorectal cancer earlier, in a simple and non-invasive way.
Abstract
Simple Summary Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer death worldwide, often because it is found too late. Current screening tests can be uncomfortable, expensive, or simply avoided by patients, so new, easier ways to detect this cancer are needed. This study looked at whether chemical compounds found in urine, produced naturally by the body and gut bacteria, could help identify people with colorectal cancer. Urine samples from 19 patients with CRC and 17 healthy controls (HCs) were analyzed using a specialized technique that detects these compounds. Sixty-seven compounds were identified, including terpenoids, ketones, phenolic compounds and norisoprenoids, and 18 of them reflected differences between the two groups associated with gut microbial alterations, oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, chronic inflammation, and altered energy metabolism. These differences matched changes already known to occur in cancer, such as altered gut bacteria and increased cell stress. Using these compounds, a computer-based analysis could separate most cancer patients from healthy people. Interestingly, one person originally classified as healthy was later diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer, and their urine pattern had already resembled that of cancer patients before this diagnosis was known. While this is only one case and needs further confirmation, it suggests that urine testing might one day help detect colorectal cancer earlier, in a simple and non-invasive way. Larger studies are still needed before this approach could be used in clinical practice.