Is foul-smelling urine a sign of cancer?

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The smell of urine can be influenced by food and medical conditions. Some types of cancer can cause urine to have a bad smell, but the normal human nose cannot detect it. So what if you notice a bad odor from your urine and are concerned that this could be a sign of cancer? You can rest assured that cancer is not the cause of this change.

1. Is foul-smelling urine a sign of cancer?

Bad urine odor is not a sign of cancer. Studies have shown that cancer emits a specific odor, they can be detected by special agents, the nose of normal people cannot perceive the urine odor caused by cancer. .
If you notice a foul-smelling, sulfur-like odor in your urine, it doesn't mean you have cancer, it could be a sign of other health problems like diabetes, infection. urinary tract infection...

2. What can cause bad smell of urine?

The kidneys are responsible for filtering the blood, removing toxins and waste products from the blood into the urine. Therefore, urine usually consists of waste products, toxins and compounds such as urea, creatinine, salt, uric acid. If you drink a lot of water, the concentration of waste products in the urine will be lower, so the smell of the urine will be less than if you drink less water.
Besides, some other factors can change the smell of urine such as medicine, health condition, food and drink...
2.1. Dehydration Insufficient water supply to the body is the cause of urine that has a more fishy odor than usual. When you are dehydrated, less urine is produced, increasing the concentration of waste products, causing urine to smell like sulfur or ammonia.
2.2. Diabetes People with diabetes have high blood glucose levels above normal, some of the glucose will be excreted in the urine, causing the urine to have a sweet or fruity smell.
In some cases, the smell of sweet urine also suggests an initial cause of diabetes, so the patient should see a doctor for an accurate test.

2.3. Urinary tract infections Bacterial infections in the urinary tract can cause urine to have an unpleasant odor. Bacterial infections occur in the bladder, kidneys, urethra, or ureters. Urinary tract infections can cause pain while urinating.
Patients with urinary tract infections often have dark, cloudy or bloody urine...
2.4. Bacterial vaginosis Vaginitis causes foul-smelling urine in women, which is caused by bacteria and belongs to the group of vaginal infections. This disease causes vaginal discharge to have a fishy smell, so the bad smell of the patient's urine is caused by vaginal discharge when urinating.
2.5. Trichomonas Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted disease. Like bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis can change the smell of discharge, causing foul-smelling urine in men and women.
2.6. Food Some foods can change the smell of your urine, such as eating asparagus that makes your urine smell like sulfur. Asparagus contains asparagic acid, which is a sulfur compound that is excreted in the urine.
Allium vegetables also contain sulfur and may change the smell of urine in some people. These vegetables include:
Onions Garlic Chives 2.7. Medicines and supplements Sulfate-based medications can make urine smell like sulfur. These are drugs that treat diseases such as diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. These include the following:
Glyburide Sulfasalazine Sulfonamide antibiotics Supplements like vitamin B6 can make your urine smell bad, especially if you take more than the recommended amount.

3. New research on the smell of cancer

Cancer patients, if detected early, will have a high survival rate and reduce pain during treatment. For that reason, scientists are always working on methods that can detect and eliminate cancer cells in their early stages.
Although the human nose cannot perceive the smell of cancer, research has shown that cancer emits a distinctive scent. The cause of this has yet to be proven. Scientists think that the smell of cancer may be caused by elevated levels of odorous molecules called polyamines or by volatile organic compounds.
Studies have also found that dogs can be trained to smell certain types of cancer through urine, feces, breath, and tumor tissue. Types of cancer that can be detected with a dog's nose include:
Ovarian cancer Kidney cancer Prostate cancer Lung cancer Electronic nose technology using chemical sensors is also being studied as a technology. Potential, non-invasive diagnostic tool for early detection of cancer and other diseases.

4. When should you see a doctor?

You should go to medical facilities for examination and diagnosis in case of foul-smelling urine accompanied by any of the following symptoms:
Fever Blood in urine Cloudy urine Pain or burning when urinating Abdominal or lower back pain Pelvic pain or pressure Vaginal itching As such, foul-smelling urine is not a symptom or sign of cancer. However, it can be a sign of other diseases such as urinary tract infections, diabetes... Therefore, you should go to the hospital or medical facilities for an accurate diagnosis.

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Reference source: healthline.com