Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a urine test that could detect lung cancer months or even years before symptoms appear.
The experimental test identifies senescent cells, often called “zombie cells,” that remain in the body after they stop dividing. Additionally, these damaged cells release inflammatory signals that weaken surrounding tissue and help cancer grow.
Scientists said the test may also monitor whether treatment works and detect signs of relapse before patients experience symptoms.
The findings appeared this week in the journal Nature Aging. Cancer Research UK funded the study.
Researchers designed an injectable nanosensor that reacts with proteins released by senescent cells inside the lungs. When the proteins appear, the sensor releases a detectable compound into urine.
Consequently, doctors could potentially identify the earliest biological signs of lung cancer development or treatment resistance through a simple urine sample.
The research team said the technology could eventually support earlier intervention and more personalized treatment plans. Furthermore, they believe the approach may help physicians adjust therapies before aggressive relapse occurs.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United Kingdom. The disease kills about 32,800 people annually.
However, survival rates improve sharply when doctors identify the disease early. Around 65 per cent of patients in England survive at least five years after an early-stage diagnosis. Meanwhile, only 5 per cent survive that long after a late-stage diagnosis.
Researchers noted that nearly half of lung cancer cases in England reach diagnosis during the latest stage of disease progression.
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Previous work linked aging immune cells to immunosuppression
Professor Ljiljana Fruk from Cambridge’s Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology said the sensor still requires human clinical trials. Additionally, she said the technology remains several years away from public use.
Fruk described the development as a major first step toward a low-cost screening tool that general practitioners and hospitals could eventually use routinely.
The researchers focused heavily on senescent cells because earlier studies connected them to treatment resistance and aggressive relapse patterns. Furthermore, previous work also linked aging immune cells to immunosuppression that supports lung cancer growth.
Professor Daniel Munoz-Espin from the Early Cancer Institute said the team’s earlier research showed chemotherapy can trigger senescent cells that later help tumors resist treatment.
He also said senescent immune cells may create conditions that allow lung cancer to develop more easily.
Consequently, the researchers designed the urine nanosensor to identify those biological warning signs as early as possible.
The team validated the findings using patient samples and large genetic datasets. Additionally, researchers said the results demonstrated strong potential for future clinical testing.
Professor Robert Rintoul from Cambridge’s Department of Oncology said doctors urgently need new methods to detect lung cancer and measure treatment response more effectively.
He said the study now provides the foundation for future clinical trials that could eventually move the technology into hospitals and clinics.
Cancer Research UK spokesperson Patrick Keely described the urine test as part of a broader wave of medical innovation driven by new technologies and research tools.
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Scientists and healthcare systems push for faster cancer detection
Researchers believe the test may prove especially valuable because lung cancer often relapses silently. Patients frequently develop few symptoms until the disease has already spread throughout the body.
Consequently, earlier detection could give doctors more time to modify treatments while they remain effective.
The Cambridge team said future trials will determine whether the technology can reliably detect cancer recurrence and therapy resistance in real clinical settings.
The Cambridge research arrives as scientists and healthcare systems worldwide push for faster, less invasive cancer detection tools.
Researchers increasingly focus on identifying biological warning signs long before patients develop visible symptoms or advanced disease. Blood tests, breath analysis, artificial intelligence imaging systems and urine-based diagnostics have all emerged as part of a growing effort to catch cancers earlier, when treatment remains far more effective.
Cancer remains one of the world’s leading causes of death, although survival rates vary sharply by disease type and stage. In the UK, roughly half of cancer patients now survive at least 10 years after diagnosis, according to Cancer Research UK. However, lung cancer still carries poor long-term outcomes, with only about 11 per cent of patients surviving 10 years or longer, according to Cancer Research UK.
Meanwhile, companies across the healthcare sector continue expanding cancer detection research. Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK) recently deepened partnerships with Guardant Health (NASDAQ: GH) and Tempus AI (NASDAQ: TEM) to develop precision oncology diagnostics and biomarker tools for earlier cancer detection and treatment selection. Additionally, startup Breath Diagnostics is developing breath-analysis technology designed to identify cancer through chemical compounds released in human respiration.
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