New research from Finland suggests in the not-too-distant future we may be making rapid, early diagnoses of prostate cancer using a non-invasive electronic nose that sniffs a urine sample.
Researchers from the University of Tampere describe how the ‘eNose’ successfully differentiated between prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) by analysing the ‘smell print’ of the headspace of a urine sample (the air immediately above the urine).
The team says the results from the eNose are comparable to those obtained from prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men and one of the leading causes of death from cancer. It is not easy to diagnose and make reliable prognoses about prostate cancer because it does not appear consistently in prostate tissue.
Currently, doctors rely on the digital rectal exam (DRE) and the PSA test to help decide if a biopsy is necessary. But these can be hit and miss, while biopsies are costly and uncomfortable, and carry the risk of infection. The other problem with current methods is that many diagnosed prostate cancers will not become life-threatening, and aggressive treatment risks reducing quality of life without extending it.
Odour sampling begins to show promise as a diagnostic for cancer
There have been experiments to test dogs’ ability to sniff out cancer, but scientists have noticed a lot of variation in their performance between and during studies.

About 20 or so years ago, researchers became interested in reports that dogs were detecting cancer in their owners, and since then there have been experiments to test dogs’ ability to sniff out cancer.
For example, in 2010, a scientific meeting of the American Urological Association learned how researchers in Paris had trained dogs to sniff out prostate cancer. They showed the dogs could detect certain prostate cancer cell-derived volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in urine.
However, as more research has been done using dogs, so scientists have noticed a lot of variation in their performance between and during studies, so their findings have limited application.
A more promising avenue is the growth of labs working on the electronic equivalent of sniffer dogs – artificial olfaction or electronic nose technology. For instance, in 2012 we were taken behind the scenes of an electronic nose lab at the California Institute of Technology, and learned how investigators in that lab foresee that one day we will be using smartphones to sniff out diseases.
Electronic noses or ‘eNoses’ that analyse complex mixtures of gas molecules are already used in food and agriculture quality control, and in military applications.
Exhaled air is a ‘problematic sampling material’
eNoses are already being investigated for medical use, including early detection of cancer from exhaled air, says lead investigator Dr. Niku Oksala, of the Department of Surgery in the School of Medicine at the University.
‘However, exhaled air is a problematic sample material since it requires good cooperation and technique from the patient and immediate analysis,’ notes Dr. Oksala, who is also of the Department of Vascular Surgery, Tampere University Hospital.
He points out that urine, on the other hand, is simple to obtain and easy to store, and more feasible for use in clinical practice. Plus, he says:
‘Preliminary data suggested that detection of urologic malignancies from urine headspace was possible. Our own preliminary results on prostate cancer cells encouraged us to launch this prospective clinical study.’ MNT

Defective blood coagulation is one of the leading causes of preventable death in patients who have suffered trauma or undergone surgery. The body

Researchers in France have hit on a novel method to help kidney stone sufferers ensure they receive the correct and most effective treatment possible.
Kidney stones represent a major medical problem in the western and developing world. If left untreated, apart from being particularly painful, they can lead to renal failure and other complications. In many patients treated successfully, stone recurrence is also a major problem. Clearly a more effective pathological approach to diagnosis and treatment needs to be identified to ensure successful eradication of stones.
Worldwide approximately 1:7000 births are affected by cystinuria, the most frequent cause of stone formation among genetic diseases. Whilst stones are treatable many therapies exist with varying results depending on the type of stone and severity of the incidence.
Cystine stones, of which there are two forms, are composed of tiny micrometre-size crystallites, which are made up of a collection of nanocrystals. Both forms of cystine stone behave in a particular way under different chemical conditions induced by the drug or drugs administered.
By crystallographic techniques Dominique Bazin, Director of Research at Universit

How well a woman recovers from a concussion may depend on that time of the month. Researchers found that women injured during the two weeks leading up to their period (the pre-menstrual phase) had a slower recovery and poorer health one month after injury compared to women injured during the two weeks directly after their period or women taking birth control pills.
If confirmed in subsequent research, the findings could alter the treatment and prognosis of women who suffer head injuries from sports, falls, car accidents or combat.
Several recent studies have confirmed what women and their physicians anecdotally have known for years: Women experience greater cognitive decline, poorer reaction times, more headaches, extended periods of depression, longer hospital stays and delayed return-to-work compared to men following head injury. Such results are particularly pronounced in women of childbearing age; girls who have not started their period and post-menopausal women have outcomes similar to men.
Few studies have explored why such differences occur, but senior author Jeffrey J. Bazarian, M.D., M.P.H. says it stands to reason that sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, which are highest in women of childbearing age, may play a role.

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, serving a local population of over 750,000, recently installed 224 wireless-enabled Roche Accu-Chek Inform II blood glucose meters in 130 point of care (POC) locations across seven hospital sites.  Linked to the cobas IT 1000 POC data management package, this fully connected glucose testing solution from Roche enhances patient safety by helping to ensure appropriate use of the meters and by providing a full audit trail for every test performed.