Japanese researchers develop new method to detect brain tumor at early stages

Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan have developed a nanowire assay that can be used to capture and detect specific extracellular vesicles in a urine sample that indicate the presence of a brain tumor.

These extracellular vesicles are naturally excreted in the urine but techniques to capture and analyze them have been complex, requiring different pieces of equipment, until now.

Brain tumors are frequently diagnosed when neurological symptoms have already begun, and the tumor is at an advanced stage.

Developing new ways to screen patients for such tumors and therefore identify them at a much earlier stage could be very beneficial.