Prostate cancer diagnosed and staged using UV-irradiated urine samples and a paper-based analytical device

The early detection of prostate cancer (CaP), one of the most common cancers in males, improves treatment efficacy. However, current methods to detect CaP are limited by specificity and sensitivity or require an invasive and unpleasant procedure. Therefore, there is a need for a novel, fast, and noninvasive CaP detection method. This proof-of-concept study aimed to diagnose CaP from urine samples by detecting the UV-induced fluorescent clusters formed in situ that reflect a urine composition specific to CaP patients using fluorescence spectroscopy. The UV-induced clusters formed upon irradiation by UV light with a wavelength of 254 nm were detected at excitation and emission wavelengths of 400 nm and 460 nm. Fifteen patients with CaP were correctly distinguished from 5 controls. The different stages of CaP could be further determined using molecular imprinting technology. Additionally, a paper-based analytical device was developed that enabled the correct identification of stage I cancer patients by fluorescent spectroscopy detection and the naked eye. In conclusion, this novel, easyto-operate, point-of-care assay can enable early diagnosis of CaP with high accuracy and judgement of the disease stage. The simplicity, as well as versatility of the proposed method, will enable its application also to other diseases and disorders.