Successful Cancer Detection From a Single Drop of Blood

Technological advancements in the field of cancer detection may soon end the need for use of surgical biopsies to remove lumps of tissue for lab analysis and pave the way for the use of a simple prick of the finger instead. New technology has now made it possible for cancer proteins to be analyzed from just a tiny drop of blood or minute tissue sample that is equivalent to four nanograms, which is smaller in size than the dot of the punctuation mark commonly called a period.

The use of the same procedure may also enhance cancer therapy by allowing for fast and easy monitoring of patient response to treatment. Although current research has analyzed only blood cancers with the use of the new methodology, scientists are optimistic that they will also be able to apply the technique to solid tumors and have already begun testing it on head and neck tumors.

Researchers from Stanford University in California have developed a machine capable of separating cancer-associated proteins by means of their electric charge. This varies according to modifications on the protein's surface. Since immune system agents known as antibodies bind to specific molecules, they can be used to identify comparative amounts and positions of various proteins. This technique allowed researchers to detect varying levels of activity of common cancer genes in human lymphoma samples as well as to distinguish between different types of lymphoma. The team found that the procedure worked on lymphoma samples drawn from laboratory mice as well as on cultured tumor cells. The system is called nanofluidic proteomic immunoassay (NIA).

According to researcher, Dr Dean Feisher, “This technology allows us to analyze cancer-associated proteins on a very small scale. Not only can we detect picogram levels—one trillionth of a gram—of protein, but we can also see very subtle changes in the ways the protein is modified.”

The research team was also able to confirm the anti-cancer effect of a cholesterol-lowering statin drug on one lymphoma patient. Regarding this accomplishment, Feisher noted, “This is the first time we have been able to see that this compound affects the biology of cancer cells in patients.” He also acknowledged, “Now we have a tool that will really help us look at what's happening in cells over time.” The findings of the analysis were published in the online version of the journal Nature Medicine.

Alice Fan, a clinical instructor in the division of oncology at Stanford’s medical school, believes the technique offers hope of a major advancement in tracking tumor cells during treatment. She said, “The standard way we measure if a treatment is working is to wait several weeks to see if the tumor mass shrinks. It would really be a leap forward if we could detect what is happening at a cellular level.” However, the researchers cautioned that more research would be necessary before the methodology will be clinically available.