How Can Cancer Be Detected with Body Fluids?

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, but also the most curable disease when detected early. When doubting having cancer, the first thing to mind is going through the invasive and painful procedures.

However, gone are those days when cancer surveillance and detection used to be painful. Whether you are anxious about needles or just curious, know that cancer can be detected with body fluids. One such method used is urine testing, and here is everything you need to know.

Why is Early Cancer Detection Important?

When it comes to cancer, early detection significantly improves patients' quality of life and survival. In other words, it is a crucial component in the fight against this disease. People can take control of their health and possibly save lives by identifying the symptoms and getting medical treatment at the earliest stages.

However, since every diagnosis is not simple, the diagnosis journey may vary from person to person. Before diagnosing cancer, medical professionals may look into alternative options. Even if your test results are normal or you are awaiting testing, you should still see your doctor if your symptoms worsen or don't go away.

Can Cancer be Detected with Body Fluids?

Talking about detecting cancer with body fluids, blood is not the only way to find clues. Yes, urine has the potential to reveal what's going on in your body. Just like how women use urine test strips to check if they are expecting a new baby to the world. Bladder cancer is arguably the most evident cancer to find in urine.

However, it can also reveal remains of other cancers, such as kidney, prostate, and cervical cancer. Whole cancer cells or their DNA are too large to travel via the kidneys. They must exit the body through the ureters or bladder. Urine contains normal bladder cells that have fallen off the urinary tract lining as part of the regular cell lifecycle.

Therefore, urine testing can help healthcare professionals assess a lot about your health. It may be a quick and non-invasive way to determine whether a patient needs additional testing. However, pancreatic cancer is one condition where urine testing might truly change a patient's future. Also, it may take a few years until needles are no longer used to identify some types of cancer in their early stages.

Can Urine Test Detect Cancer at the Earliest Stage?

Old traditional methods have been switched to a novel technique known as liquid biopsies. It is a non-invasive method and detects cancer by testing body fluids like urine or saliva. It not only helps to detect cancer at the earliest stages but also helps in creating personalised treatment plans.

Liquid biopsies can identify cancer in its early stages by detecting trace amounts. It identified genetic material or other biomarkers shed by cancer that are released into the circulation by cancer cells. The best part? Liquid biopsies, for instance, urine testing, come with minimal discomfort, unlike traditional tissue biopsies.

What Can be Detected in a Urine Test?

Besides water and waste products that the kidneys filter from the blood, urine also contains trace amounts of cells. This includes epithelial cells that are lost from the urinary tract lining and potentially red and white blood cells. From components, cells, their type and quantity, urine can provide vital information about a person's health. This, as a result, aids in the detection of conditions like bladder cancer.

However, the question remains- what can urine tests reveal? Urine tests can diagnose numerous conditions, such as kidney disease, diabetes, liver problems, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and bladder cancer. Certain disease processes may reveal abnormal results in a urine test. For instance:

The presence of red blood cells or abnormal cells may indicate bladder cancer.
High glucose levels may indicate diabetes.
The presence of bacteria is frequently linked to a UTI, and consistently excessive protein in urine may indicate chronic kidney disease.

By performing tests like urine cytology and urine tumor marker testing, the presence or absence of bladder cancer can be determined easily. However, some healthcare professionals may also combine different tests to detect cancer, depending on the severity of the patient's condition.

Boosting the Chance of People Surviving Cancer

At MedGuard, we focus on saving millions of lives by offering high-quality medical supplies. Be it for cancer or pregnancy, you can rely on our urine testing products like urine test strips and other accessories. All our medical products are made with care and precision to ensure you enjoy accurate results.

They also undergo rigorous tests which guarantee their longevity and optimal performance. Our team of customer support is the friendliest. For more personalised guidance and support, you can contact us at any time without any hesitation.