Now Pancreatic Cancer Can Be Detected Early

Now Pancreatic Cancer Can Be Detected Early

U.S. researchers discovered specific changes in the blood of patients suffering from two types of deadly cancer is pancreatic cancer and mesothelioma cancer . This allows the physician to diagnose the cancer at an early stage .

By using the scanning technology developed by Somalogic Inc. , the company's researchers say they can detect early signs of pancreatic cancer and a type of lung cancer called mesothelioma in people who are diagnosed but not treated for the disease . " Currently these cancers are detected at advanced stages , when it may be treated has been minimal , " said Rachel Ostroff , director of clinical research at Somalogic Inc. , who presented the findings at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Denver recently .

Pancreatic cancer usually strikes without symptoms and was discovered at an advanced stage . The National Cancer Institute says pancreatic cancer is rarely curable . If the cancer is still in the pancreas ( localized ) , cure rates will be higher. Even so , it is usually best wishes in all cases only slightly less than 20 percent .

For patients with cancer who are still measuring less than 2 cm , with no spread to lymph nodes , cancer surgery patients can save up to five years at least . This possibility could reach 18-24 percent .

The pancreas is an organ shaped like a tube sponge / sponge with a length of about 6 inches , which is located on the rear hull . The pancreas produces enzymes and hormones , including insulin . Pancreatic enzymes help digest food in the small intestine , whereas insulin to control blood sugar levels . Both enzymes and hormones necessary for maintaining the body to work properly .

Men have twice the likelihood of developing this disease . Pancreatic cancer is more common in smokers than nonsmokers . People who suffer from chronic pancreatic disease and those likely to suffer from long-standing diabetes ( especially the women ) are at greater risk .

Meanwhile , mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is often caused by malignant cells develop in the mesothelium , a protective lining that covers most of the organs . The most common is the pleura ( outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall ) , but it may also occur in the pericardium , or the lining vaginalis .

Most of the people affected by mesothelioma caused by frequent exposure to asbestos particles . Washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can also be at risk of developing mesothelioma . Unlike lung cancer , and there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking .

Symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural fluid ( fluid between the lung and the chest wall ) or chest wall pain , and also because of being overweight . " Detection of these aggressive cancers at an earlier stage would identify patients for early treatment , which may improve the quality of their lives and a chance to recover , " he said .

Pancreatic cancer is relatively rare , but it is the fourth largest cause of cancer-related death in the United States ( U.S. ) . While mesothelioma , caused by asbestos , killed about 15 thousand to 20 thousand people per year worldwide .

In August , NEC Corp of Japan invested U.S. $ 5 million as part of a strategic partnership with Colorado -based Somalogic to develop technology which aims to detect disease by examining proteins in a drop of blood . Somalogic test depends on aptamers - a series of genetic material that is bound to the protein . Somalogic have improved the technology that makes the molecule more likely to attach to specific proteins .

For the study , the researchers tested blood samples enterprises patients suffering from two types of cancer and they are incorporated in the control group who had a condition with symptoms similar to those of cancer such as pancreatitis and pulmonary fibrosis . The team used computer models to look for significant biological differences , or biological markers or biomarkers that distinguish blood samples from cancer patients with those who do not
cancer .

For both cancers , the team found biological markers that have a high accuracy in detecting any type of cancer , Ostroff said . They are also very specific , in the sense that they are able to precisely dispense two people who do not suffer from cancer . Now the biomarkers need to be confirmed by other studies to ensure that the results are accurate and reproducible diagnostic test . " It's easy to find biomarkers , " Ostroff said at the meeting . " It's hard to do validation on them . "

Ostroff said his team will observe a number of factors that can trigger false-positive results , such as how long a sample should be put on the shelf before it was tested . " We investigated this parameter to ensure that we observed biomarkers of disease , " he said .