We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Urine Test Rapidly Predicts Smokers' Lung Cancer Risk

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 27 Apr 2009
Scientists have found that smokers with the highest urine levels of two tobacco metabolites have a higher risk of developing lung cancer. More...
This might explain why some smokers get lung cancer while others do not.

Smokers with the highest urine levels of the tobacco metabolite called 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) had a two-fold increased risk of developing lung cancer than those with the lowest levels. When a second metabolite called cotinine was included in the analysis, the investigators found that those smokers with the highest levels of both NNAL and cotinine in their urine were 8.5 times more likely to develop the disease.

The study was conducted by Dr. Jian-Min Yuan, associate professor of public health at the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN, USA) and colleagues. Professor Yuan said although we know that smoking leads to lung cancer, there are over 60 potential cancer causing chemicals in tobacco smoke, and "the more accurately we can identify the culprit, the better we will become at predicting risk." He added, "If we can identify a smoker with a high level of metabolites, and down the road they have a higher risk of lung cancer, public health workers can get them motivated to quit smoking."

Prof. Yuan said that a standard urine metabolite test for smokers would probably cost $100 to $120 and take a few years to develop.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO; Geneva, Switzerland) lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, accounting for 1.2 million new cases annually. It is also the biggest cause of death by cancer, responsible for 17.8 % of all cancer deaths.

The study was presented at the 100th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, which took place from April 18-22, 2009 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver (CO, USA).

Related Links:

University of Minnesota
World Health Organization



Gold Member
Antipsychotic TDM Assays
Saladax Antipsychotic Assays
3-Part Differential Hematology Analyzer
Swelab Alfa Plus Sampler
New
Sperm Quality Analyis Kit
QwikCheck Beads Precision and Linearity Kit
New
HBV DNA Test
GENERIC HBV VIRAL LOAD VER 2.0
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: The microfluidic device for passive separation of platelet-rich plasma from whole blood (Photo courtesy of University of the Basque Country)

Portable and Disposable Device Obtains Platelet-Rich Plasma Without Complex Equipment

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) plays a crucial role in regenerative medicine due to its ability to accelerate healing and repair tissue. However, obtaining PRP traditionally requires expensive centrifugation... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The 3D paper-based analytical device has shown high clinical accuracy for adult-onset immunodeficiency (Photo courtesy of National Taiwan University)

Paper-Based Device Accurately Detects Immune Defects in 10 Minutes

Patients with hidden immune defects are especially vulnerable to severe and persistent infections, often due to autoantibodies that block interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), a key molecule in immune defense.... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: The groundbreaking salmonella antimicrobial resistance prediction platform has demonstrated 95% accuracy (Photo courtesy of Yujie You et al., DOI: 10.1016/j.eng.2025.01.013)

New Platform Leverages AI and Quantum Computing to Predict Salmonella Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella strains are a growing public health concern due to the overuse of antimicrobials and the rise of genetic mutations. Accurate prediction of resistance is crucial for effective... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: Researchers have developed a novel method to analyze tumor growth rates (Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock)

Novel Method To Analyze Tumor Growth Rates Helps Tracks Progression Between Diagnosis and Surgery

Patients diagnosed with breast cancer often worry about how quickly their tumors grow while they wait for surgery, and whether delays in treatment might allow the disease to spread beyond the point of cure.... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: The Check4 gene-detection platform (Photo courtesy of IdentifySensors)

Electronic Biosensors Used to Detect Pathogens Can Rapidly Detect Cancer Cells

A major challenge in healthcare is the early and affordable detection of serious diseases such as cancer. Early diagnosis remains difficult due to the complexity of identifying specific genetic markers... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.