American scientists have developed a new way to diagnose cancer. A simple blood test can help detect several types of cancer before you have any symptoms of the disease. The test has been hailed as the “Holy Grail”. It can pave the way for a general screening program and thus save the lives of many people around the world.
A blood test called a ‘liquid biopsy’ detects 10 different types of cancer at an early stage. They need to be improved to be useful, or you may not find a large number of cancer cases. This simple blood test is similar to genetic tests and can detect “even the smallest DNA fragments of cancer cells that have entered the bloodstream”. Early diagnosis significantly reduces the risk of developing the disease and dying from it.
The “liquid biopsy” has several stages. First, a patient’s blood sample is taken. Then, the DNA composition of the tested material is analyzed, and potentially dangerous genetic mutations are identified. Finally, the DNA is examined to see if the individual fragments have traces of tumor-induced changes.
A team of scientists led by Dr. Eric Klein from the Cleveland Center in Ohio (USA) conducted the test on 749 cancer-free patients and 878 with newly diagnosed but untreated cancer.
The test now detects cancer of the ovary, pancreas, liver, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, colon, esophagus, lung, head and neck, and breast. However, it is most effective in diagnosing ovarian cancer (90%) and in the case of pancreatic and liver cancer (80%).
Study leader Dr. Eric Klein of the Cleveland clinic said: “This blood test detected multiple cancers at different stages, indicating that this approach is promising as a screening test for multiple cancers.
Scientists from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, during the American Society of Clinical Oncologists conference, did not hide that the method developed by them for diagnosing cancer may turn out to be a real breakthrough in oncology.
This is potentially the holy grail of cancer research – finding cancers that are currently difficult to treat at an earlier stage when they are easier to treat. The test can be used by everyone, regardless of their family history.
Professor Nicholas Turner of the Institute of Cancer Research in London described the results as “really exciting”. It will likely be a few more years before it is ready for clinical use. A liquid biopsy is expected to be available to the public in 5 to 10 years. Scientists hope it will become the standard procedure for all adults over 40 years of age. “Too many tumors are detected too late, when surgery is no longer possible and the chances of survival are slim,” he said.
Based on: nypost.com / theguardian.com / radiozet.pl, Medonet editorial office