Faculty of Health Science - News - New Blood Test for Early Cancer Detection Developed by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Researchers

Faculty of Health Science - News - Cancer_detection

New Blood Test for Early Cancer Detection Developed by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Researchers

90 Percent Detection Rate in Clinical Tests for Multiple Types of Cancers A simple blood test is being developed by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and Soroka University Medical Center in Beer-Sheva, Israel that may provide early detection of many types of cancer. Prof. Joseph Kapelushnik of BGU’s Faculty of Health Sciences and his team developed a device that illuminates cancer cells with less than a teaspoon of blood. The test uses infrared light to detect miniscule changes in the blood of a person who has a cancerous growth somewhere, even before the disease has spread. Various molecules released into the bloodstream cause it to absorb infrared light slightly differently compared to that of healthy people.   In the latest clinical trial with 200 patients and a control group, the test identified specific cancers in 90 percent of the patients and found other types of cancer, as well.  The researchers are focused on detection of common cancers, such as lung and ovarian cancer.  Doctors believe that it is critical to increase cancer detection in early stages to prevent the need for long, difficult and costly treatments in more advanced stages. “This is still research in the early stages of clinical trials,” clarifies Prof. Joseph Kapelushnik, who is also head of the Department of Pediatric Hemato-Oncology at Soroka hospital.  “But the purpose is to develop an efficient, cheap and simple method to detect as many types of cancers as possible. We want to be able to detect cancer while a patient is still feeling good, before it has a chance to metastasize, meaning fewer treatments, less suffering and many more lives saved.” More clinical trials will be conducted in the next 18 months.

Publish date: 26/02/2012

abstract: Strengthening the Case for Stool DNA Tests as First-Line Colorectal Cancer Screening: Are We There Yet? (of interest to Lynch Syndrome patients/genetically predisposed)

Blogger's Note: while limited information is available through the abstract it does touch on patient issues regarding screening, this will be of interest to Lynch Syndrome/genetically predisposed patients for which guidelines recommend frequent screening (standard colonoscopy vs virtual colonoscopy)

Abstract

"The incidence of and mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC) have decreased in countries that have established population-based screening programs. In the United States, incidence rates decreased 4% annually from 2003–2007, and mortality decreased by 3.3% per year.¹ During this same time period, rates of screening in the U.S. increased from 50% to 65%,² with colonoscopy-based programs being the predominant strategy in many regions of the country. However, despite increased public education and improved access to colonoscopy in the U.S., 35% of patients still fail to undergo CRC screening,² likely because of this procedure's invasiveness, need for bowel preparation, as well as sedation and missed days of work. Furthermore, the effectiveness of colonoscopy, which has long been considered the gold standard in CRC screening, has recently come into question, with population-based studies demonstrating disappointing outcomes with right-sided lesions and serrated adenomas."