Can Ants Detect Cancer In Urine? How?

As of 2022, India has been estimated to have 14,61,427 cancer cases. A cancer diagnosis is likely to occur in one out of nine people in India, with lung and breast cancers being the most common cancer types in men and women, respectively [1].

Cancer cannot be prevented, but making healthy lifestyle choices helps reduce its risk. Some factors cannot be changed, such as getting older and having a family history of cancer.

The Diagnosis Of Cancer

In the event that you have a symptom or a screening test result that indicates cancer, your doctor will determine whether it is caused by cancer or another cause. Cancer cannot be diagnosed by a single test alone.

You may be asked about your medical history and undergo a physical examination. Your doctor may order lab tests, imaging tests (scans), or other procedures. You may also be asked to undergo a biopsy, which is often the only way to determine for certain whether you are cancerous [2].

Computerized tomography (CT) scans, bone scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) scans, ultrasounds, and X-rays are some of the imaging tests used to diagnose cancer.

According to a recently published study, ants have been trained to detect cancer in urine. Yep, researchers have trained ants to detect cancer in urine [3].

Lets check out how.

Researchers Have Trained Ants To Detect Cancer In Urine: How?

Researchers have found that ants are able to detect the scent of several types of cancer, which changes the odour of urine. How are ants able to detect cancer?

A strong sense of smell (animal olfaction) is one of the most important senses in many animals, including mammals and insects, which are used to detect and identify scents in their environment. This ability can serve a number of purposes, such as finding food, detecting predators, and locating mates [4].

How do ants recognise cancer cells?

Animals, including ants, with their keen sense of smell, can be trained to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are released by cancer cells [5].

It has been demonstrated that ants, particularly Formica fusca, exhibit excellent learning skills when it comes to odours relevant to their habitat. The antennae of ants, which contain an exceptional number of odour receptors, enable them to detect distinct smells despite not having a sense of smell in the same way as mammals do.

Scientists have demonstrated that ants can learn to recognise a mixture of different smells associated with rewards.

Ants have a great 'memory'

There is strong evidence that ants can establish long-lasting memories after only one training session. Additionally, they have strong memory retention, as they can still respond correctly after multiple tests without a reward, even after nine tests [6].

Despite only three training sessions, the ants were able to reliably detect VOCs. These results suggest that ants may be useful as a cheap and effective detection tool for cancer.

Could ants provide a promising cancer detection method?

According to the researchers, the results of the study demonstrate that ants may be used as efficient and inexpensive bio-detectors of cancer in the future.

Furthermore, they are easy to learn, cheap to maintain, and fast to respond.

Animals in cancer detection

Cancer detection by animals is one way to increase early detection rates. Dogs, for example, can be trained to smell cell samples or body odours and detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with cancer [6].

On A Final Note...

The results of this research, if confirmed, could have far-reaching benefits for cancer patients, even though patients may find it hard to comprehend this technology - I mean, ants detecting cancer? Sounds absolutely crazy, right?