Noninvasive Method Measures Exposure To Carcinogens

Chemicals covalently bound to DNA can help researchers assess a patient’s exposure to carcinogens, but studying these DNA adduct biomarkers can require excising tissue from people and using radioactive labeling methods. Scientists have now shown that they can noninvasively detect biomarkers of carcinogens that cause urinary tract cancers using mass spectrometry, a method that is several orders of magnitude more sensitive than previous techniques. Led by Robert J. Turesky of the University of Minnesota and Arthur P. Grollman of Stony Brook University, SUNY, researchers analyzed adducts from aristolochic acids, which are well-documented carcinogens, bound to DNA in cells retrieved from urine. Aristolochic acids come from Aristolochia plants routinely used in herbal medicines and supplements. Turesky said although the results are preliminary, he’s excited by the prospect of extending the technique to study biomarkers of other urinary tract carcinogens. “We’re hoping, with our analytical mass spectrometry methods, that our DNA adduct biomarkers will identify individuals at risk and help to refine cancer risk estimates.”