Cancer screening by fluorescence spectra of blood and urine – A double blind study

Abstract

Objective: Absorption spectroscopy and calorimetry has been a very convenient tool in the diagnosis of a variety of diseases. In recent times, fluorescence emission spectroscopy is proposed to be a more sensitive technique for disease detection. Methods: In this context, fluorescence emission spectra have been obtained from blood and urine samples from clinically suspected subjects of cancer (N = 40) as compared with normal control samples. Results: Based on a certain set of fluorometric ratio parameters the samples of suspected subjects were scored positive or negative to assess the validity of the spectral technique in detecting cancer, irrespective of organ or stage. This study was done in the premises of a hospital with the blinded sets of blood and urine samples and it has classified correctly 30 out of 40 (75% true positive) indicating a reasonable level of accuracy of this new, simple technique Conclusion: It could be of significant value as the first-line defense in the screening process of any cancer.

Keywords

• Optical biopsy
• Field study of cancer diagnosis
• Spectra of blood and urine
• Double-blind study