As of: March 16, 2024, 7:00 p.m
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Researchers in the USA have developed a new test that uses proteins in blood plasma to detect early-stage cancers.
Cancer is one of the most common widespread diseases.
According to
Krebsinformationsdienst.de,
over 493,000 people in Germany suffer from a form of this disease every year, which is the subject of a wide range of research.
Cancer is responsible for around one in six deaths worldwide.
In order to better treat this disease, scientists have developed a DNA test that can detect up to 18 different types of cancer in the early stages.
The study: US researchers find signs of cancer in proteins using DNA tests with blood plasma
It could be a breakthrough in the early detection of cancer: Researchers at the American biotech company Novelna in Palo Alto, California, have developed a DNA test that is intended to detect up to 18 types of cancer in the early stages.
This test is designed to detect cancers in all major organs in the human body.
The researchers published the results in the public section of the journal
BMJ Oncology
.
Blood plasma is said to be the answer in early cancer detection.
© Imago
A total of 484 people were examined for the study.
440 of them had already been diagnosed with cancer, 18 different ones in total, and 44 other test subjects were healthy blood donors.
During the tests, blood plasma was taken from the test subjects in which more than 3,000 proteins were examined that are believed to be linked to the chemical signaling pathways of cancer.
This used technology that combined information about antibodies and a statistical algorithm in a two-step process.
The first step sought to identify the biological signature of a cancer type, and the second step sought to identify the tissue of origin and cancer subtypes.
During the tests, the plasma proteins were able to detect 93 percent of all first-stage cancers in men and 84 percent in women.
Blood tests so far inaccurate: Why plasma tests could be groundbreaking for cancer research
There have also been previous tests that can indicate early-stage tumors or genetic predispositions to cancer.
British researchers published new results on Cancer.ox.ac.uk
in June 2023
on a blood test that is intended to detect 50 different types of cancer at an early stage.
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According to the researchers from California, when blood proteins are examined, there is still a lack of sensitivity and specificity in the area of early detection.
This means that the proteins cannot always accurately detect cancer or sort out healthy cells.
Tests with plasma proteins are said to be more accurate.
Proteins depend on gender: Types of cancer differ in men and women
The investigations also revealed that the “cancer proteins” differ in biological men and women.
The research states: “An elimination process created a panel of ten sex-specific proteins that were differentially expressed in the plasma samples of cancer patients and healthy people.”
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According to the researchers, the different protein signatures in men and women indicate that the proteins for the same cancer may look different in men and women and therefore require different detection patterns.
This applies to cancers that both sexes can get, not just gender-specific diseases like ovarian cancer in women.
Other cancers are most common in men.
Further research needed: plasma test with proteins still needs to be expanded
The DNA tests with the plasma proteins are promising, but according to the scientists they still require further research.
Since we worked with a relatively small sample of test subjects, the study had to be expanded in order to achieve more detailed results.
In addition, the tests did not take any other illnesses that the test subjects might have into account.
“Despite advances in proteomics techniques, the full spectrum of proteins produced by a particular cell or organ is not yet known.” However: “Our new generation protein-based plasma test has high sensitivity in detecting a wide range of proteins “Early-stage tumors in asymptomatic patients have been demonstrated, making it a strong candidate for use as a population-wide screening tool that is not currently achievable with existing tests or techniques.”
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It in no way replaces a visit to the doctor. Our editorial team is not allowed to answer individual questions about medical conditions.