An undergraduate student’s technique for detecting certain metabolites in urine samples could lead to a simpler and more accurate way to test for prostate cancer. Developed by Casey Burton of Lake Ozark, Mo., a senior chemistry major at Missouri University of Science and Technology, the technique also could prove to be less expensive than conventional prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing for prostate cancer. That is because Burton’s technique does not require the use of high-tech instrumentation often used to detect metabolites. Instead, his technique relies on a simple chemical reaction as well as diagnostic equipment that is available in most health clinics.
