A multi-national team of researchers may have developed a novel new method for diagnosing cancer that requires only a small drop of blood. The method, reported in a recent issue of Cancer Cell, proved very successful in early trials at both identifying cancer and locating its origins.
In the study, researchers investigated the usefulness of new blood-based RNA tests of platelets in the blood. Recent studies have shown that platelets do more than just promote clotting, but also may contribute to tumor growth and metastasis. The platelets are easily accessible, requiring only a simple blood draw, making them a more attractive source than tumor tissue samples, which are required for conventional diagnostic methods.
The team collected blood samples from 283 individuals, 228 of whom had some form of cancer and 55 of whom showed no evidence of cancer. Of the 228 patients with cancer, 39 had an early detection diagnosis. By comparing the RNA profiles of the patients’ platelets, researchers were able to successfully identify the presence of cancer in 96% of patients and classify it as either localized or metastatic. Additionally, the test correctly identified 100% of the 39 patients whose cancer was detected early.
In subsequent tests, the researchers also had some success in using the RNA profiles to identify the origin of patients’ tumors: in 71% of patients, the blood test was able to identify whether the patient had a specific cancer type, such as lung cancer. Once the cancer type was identified, the blood samples could be studied further to find molecular differences such as genetic mutations, which can greatly impact a physicians’ choice of therapies.
“Being able to detect cancer at an early stage is vital,” said Jonas Nilsson, PhD, MSc, researcher assistant at Umeå University (Umeå, Sverige) and co-author of the report. “In the study, nearly all forms of cancer were identified, which proves that blood-based biopsies have an immense potential to improve early detection of cancer,” Dr. Nilsson continued.
More research is already being conducted to improve the effectiveness of the tests.
