Nation IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : Scientists Report New Cancer Test

Bladder cancer, a killer disease that is notoriously difficult to diagnose, can be detected with 95% accuracy by a new test that finds abnormal genetic material in the urine. Dr. David Sidransky of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said the simple urine samples can be analyzed for the presence of abnormal DNA that is a telltale sign of cancer. This DNA abnormality appears at a very early stage of tumors--a time in the disease process when there is a high likelihood of cure, he said. A pilot study using the new test detected 19 of 20 patients with bladder cancer, the researchers report in a study to be published today in the journal Science.