Improved detection and precise relative quantification of the urinary cancer metabolite biomarkers – Creatine riboside, creatinine riboside, creatine and creatinine by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS: Application to the NCI-Maryland cohort population controls and lung cancer cases

•A novel HILIC UPLC-MS/MS assay developed for the quantification of urinary cancer biomarkers CR, CNR, creatine, creatinine.•Urinary biomarkers were extracted from the NCI-MD cohort lung cancer case and population control patient’s biospecimens.•No matrix effect was observed during method performance for urinary biomarkers detection and quantification in human serum.•This assay can be used in multiple laboratories for urinary biomarkers precise quantification at nM level in urine and serum.