Cancer cell detection device for the diagnosis of bladder cancer from urine.

Bladder cancer is common and has one of the highest recurrence rates. Cystoscopy, the current gold standard diagnosis approach, has recently benefited from the introduction of blue light assisted photodynamic diagnostic (PDD). While blue light cystoscopy improves diagnostic sensitivity, it remains a costly and invasive approach. Here, we present a microfluidic-based platform for non-invasive diagnosis which combines the principle of PDD with whole cell immunocapture technology to detect bladder cancer cells shed in patient urine ex vivo. Initially, we demonstrate with model cell lines that our non-invasive approach achieves highly specific capture rates of bladder cancer cells based on their Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule expression (>90%) and detection by the intensity levels of Hexaminolevulinic Acid-induced Protoporphyrin IX fluorescence. Then, we show in a pilot study that the biosensor platform successfully discriminates histopathologically diagnosed cancer patients (n = 10) from non-cancer controls (n = 25). Our platform can support the development of a novel non-invasive diagnostic device for post treatment surveillance in patients with bladder cancer and cancer detection in patients with suspected bladder cancer.

Biosensors & bioelectronics. 2020 Oct 07 [Epub ahead of print]

Melanie MacGregor, Hanieh Safizadeh Shirazi, Kit Man Chan, Kola Ostrikov, Kym McNicholas, Alex Jay, Michael Chong, Alexander H Staudacher, Thomas D Michl, Aigerim Zhalgasbaikyzy, Michael P Brown, Moein Navvab Kashani, Adam Di Fiore, Alex Grochowski, Stephen Robb, Simon Belcher, Jordan Li, Jonathan M Gleadle, Krasimir Vasilev

Future Industry Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia. Electronic address: ., Future Industry Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia; School of Engineering, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia., School of Engineering, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia., Department of Renal Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia; College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia., College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia; Department of Urology, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia., Translational Oncology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology and University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, SA, Adelaide, 5000, Australia., Translational Oncology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology and University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, SA, Adelaide, 5000, Australia; Cancer Clinical Trials Unit, Royal Adelaide Hospital, SA, Adelaide, 5000, Australia., Future Industry Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia; South Australian Node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia., Motherson Innovations Australia, Lonsdale, SA, 5160, Australia.