researchers develop a blood test to detect melanoma



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Currently, the diagnosis is based on a clinical examination by a doctor. In the event of a suspicious lesion, it is surgically removed and biopsied.

Australian researchers reported having developed a blood test to screen melanoma for an early stage stating that this is " world premiere " that could save many lives.

Scientists at Edith Cowan University, whose work is published in the journal Oncotarget, explain that this test could help doctors to detect melanoma, an aggressive skin cancer, before it spreads in the body.

" Patients whose melanoma is detected at an early stage have a survival rate at five years between 90 and 99% ," said in a statement the director of the study, Pauline Zaenker

If not, this rate falls to less than 50%.

"That's why this blood test is so promising as a potential detection tool because it can detect melanoma very early stage, when it is still treatable, "she added.

Researchers conducted trials of 105 patients with primary melanoma and 104 people in good health

The test detected melanoma at an early stage in 79% cases.

The test developed by the researchers identifies autoantibodies produced by a patient in response to cancer

" We examined a total of 1,627 different types of antibodies to identify a combination of 10 antibodies that are the best indicators of the presence of melanoma in affected patients compared to healthy volunteers ", the researcher continued.

Sanchia Aranda, Executive Director of the Cancer Council Australia, found this research promising for the high-risk people who have to undergo regular dermatological screenings.

She pointed out that it did not detect other more common but less dangerous cancers such as basal cell carcinoma

"People should be very aware of the potential damage to their skin caused by the sun, and be very careful about the slightest change appearance of their buds or moles, "she also said.

Researchers must conduct another clinical trial over three years to validate their findings, hoping to have a test that could be used by physicians .

Cancer detected in three is a skin cancer, according to the World Health Organization. Australia is the country with one of the highest prevalences of melanoma in the world.

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