A company called NanoMed Diagnostics is developing a urine test which analyses DNA fragments that are ‘hyper-methylated’. This refers to the attachment of ‘methyl groups’ at certain locations of the DNA. These effectively serve as fingerprints for cancer and its location within the body. Detection of bladder cancer through urine may seem straight forward, but NanoMed are also examining the detection of cervical cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer. The hope is to have a commercially available cancer urine test, like those available for pregnancy, in the next 4 years.