Cerumenogram: a new frontier in cancer diagnosis in humans

Abstract

Cancer is the deadliest human disease and the development of new diagnosis methods is important to increase the chances of a cure. In this work it was developed a new method, named here for the first time as cerumenogram, using cerumen (earwax) as a new biomatrix for diagnosis. Earwax samples collected from cancer patients (cancer group) and cancer-free patients (control group) were analyzed by Headspace/Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HS/GC-MS), following with multivariate analysis steps to process the raw data generated. In total, 158 volatile organic metabolites (VOMs) were identified in the cerumen samples. The 27 selected as potential VOMs biomarkers for cancer provided 100% discrimination between the cancer and control groups. This new test can thus be routinely employed for cancer diagnoses that is non-invasive, fast, cheap, and highly accurate.

A volatolomic approach using cerumen as biofluid to diagnose bovine intoxication by Stryphnodendron rotundifolium

“…It is the first time that volatile cerumen biomarkers are identified for cattle intoxication by toxic plants. This analysis sheds light on cerumen bioanalysis as a valuable tool to select biomarkers not only in medicine (Barbosa et al, 2019; Shokry et al, 2017) but also in veterinary science. The biomarkers selected allow the accurate diagnosis of cattle intoxication by S. rotundifolium using simple monitoring of the two main biomarkers: 9‐tetradecen‐1‐ol and 2‐octyldecanol.…”

“…In humans, our recent studies demonstrated that cerumen could be used to diagnose types I and II diabetes mellitus (Shokry, de Oliveira, Avelino, de Deus, & Filho, 2017). In addition, cerumen can be used for tracking human exposure to tobacco (Shokry, de Oliveira, Avelino, de Deus, Pereira, et al, 2017), as an alternative biomatrix to forensic applications for drug abuse monitoring (Shokry, Marques, Ragazzo, Pereira, & Filho, 2017), and for cancer diagnosis (Barbosa et al, 2019). In animals, the volatile cerumen compounds have been used to detect the toxic principle in cattle intoxication by Palicourea marcgravii (Shokry, dos Santos, et al, 2017) and to assess disorders in sheep in peri‐parturition stage (Shokry, Pereira, et al, 2017).…”

Beyond liquid biopsy: Toward non-invasive assays for distanced cancer diagnostics in pandemics

“…158 VOMs were identified by HS/GC-MS including organooxygen, organosulfur, carboxylic acids, organonitrogen and hydrocarbons. Of these, 27 VOMs selected by a genetic algorithm were able to successfully discriminate from cancer and a control group on the basis of a discrimination pattern ( Barbosa et al, 2019 ).…”

Low Molecular Weight Volatile Organic Compounds Indicate Grazing by the Marine Rotifer Brachionus plicatilis on the Microalgae Microchloropsis salina

“…As structural isomers, Compounds 5 and S4 are likely generated by similar biochemical mechanisms when algae are undergoing wounding events, such as seen here in the samples with active rotifer grazing. Surprisingly, the only reference to 3-methylhexane as a biomarker is as one of 27 volatiles that are highly correlated and discriminatory between cerumen taken from cancer and healthy human subjects [32]. Possibly, the high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cancerous cells react with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) present within the cell via lipid peroxidation to generate volatile, branched alkanes (including 3-methylhexane, 2-methylhexane, and other alkanes), which are also observed in the breath of cancer patients [33].…”