Simple urine and blood tests could soon be used to detect cancer. Scientists at the Boston Children's Hospital and the Harvard Medical School have detected increased levels of a tumour-related protein in the urine of patients suffering from cancer.

Further, researchers at the Massachusetts-based Matritech Inc have reported finding proteins made by colon cancer tumours in the blood. Based on these findings, researchers say that the growth of cancer can now be easily detected, making diagnoses and monitoring easier.