Non-invasive Detection of Bladder Tumors Through Volatile Organic Compounds: A Pilot Study with an Electronic Nose

Cystoscopy, the standard diagnostic for bladder tumors, is uncomfortable, invasive, and expensive. The available urine-based marker systems all lack accuracy. Measuring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from urine is a promising alternative. This pilot study evaluates the feasibility of discriminating bladder cancer patients' urine from healthy controls with an electronic nose.

Headspace measurements of urine samples of 30 patients with confirmed transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) and 30 healthy controls were performed with Cyranose 320 calculating Mahalanobis distance and linear discriminant analysis. Histology reports following TUR-BT were correlated with urine findings.

After storage at -20°C, Cyranose correctly detected 28/30 already confirmed TCC samples and 26/30 healthy controls (p<0.01), sensitivity 93.3%, specificity 86.7%. Storage at -80°C led to similar results: 28/30 tumor samples and 28/30 control samples were correctly allocated; sensitivity and specificity both 93.3%.

VOC detection is a promising tool to detect bladder tumors. Further research will test against possible confounders like bacteriuria.