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Toward Prostate Cancer Early Warning with a Self-Powered Wearable Biosensing Platform Integrated with Machine
Jing Xu1, Hanxiao Chen2, Qichen Yuan1
1Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China.
Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|February 28, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a novel wearable sensor powered by urine to detect sarcosine, a prostate cancer biomarker. This self-powered device offers a non-invasive, decentralized approach for early disease detection.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Analytical Chemistry
- Wearable Technology
Background:
- Current prostate cancer detection methods lack non-invasiveness and specificity.
- Urinary biomarkers like sarcosine are of significant interest for early detection.
- There is a need for decentralized and non-invasive diagnostic tools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a urine-powered wearable platform for non-invasive sarcosine detection.
- To establish a hybrid bio-electrochemical energy paradigm for sensor operation.
- To demonstrate a proof-of-concept for decentralized early warning of prostate cancer.
Main Methods:
- A hybrid bio-electrochemical energy system utilizing urine as both sample and energy source.
- Sarcosine as biofuel for an enzymatic fuel cell, coupled with endogenous Zn2+ ions for an aqueous battery.
- Dual electrochemical and colorimetric readouts with a hybrid classification-regression model for analysis.
- Integration into a smart diaper format with wireless connectivity for smartphone-based analysis.
Main Results:
- Achieved a low detection limit of 0.85 pM for sarcosine.
- Demonstrated synergistic signal amplification and stable sensor operation.
- Preliminary validation in human urine samples showed satisfactory analytical performance (83.68%–125.88% spike-and-recovery).
Conclusions:
- The developed platform offers a self-powered, non-invasive sensing strategy for sarcosine.
- This technology represents a promising step towards decentralized early detection of prostate cancer.
- The hybrid energy system enhances sensor performance and reliability.
