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Can this rapid test revolutionize the diagnosis of cancer?
A new blood or tissue test can diagnose cancer in just ten minutes. It is based on a newly discovered DNA structure that appears to be present in all cancers. The test quickly and easily detects whether these structures are present in the blood or tissues. The cancer test was recently presented by an Australian research team.
Researchers at the University of Queensland have come up with a new method of diagnosing cancer. The peculiarity is that it's a quick test that starts on all cancerous diseases. The team around Dr. Abu Sina, dr. Laura Carrascosa and Professor Matt Trau have discovered a unique nanostructure in DNA that seems to be shared by all types of cancer. The presence of this structure indicates a disease. The results of the research have recently been published in the famous journal "Nature Communications".
Breakthrough in cancer diagnosis
Until now, the diagnosis of cancer is a complicated affair, each type of cancer having its own signature. Thus, most forms of cancer also require a special diagnostic method. This complicates the early detection of tumor diseases, which are, however, extremely important for the healing process. Now researchers have found a simple signature that differs from healthy cells and is common to all cancers.
A structure that unites all forms of cancer
"This unique DNA signature has appeared in all types of cancer studied, including bad cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer and lymph node cancer," Dr. Abu Sina said in a statement. release on the results of the study. Here are the tiny methyl groups that depend on DNA. According to Sina, these groups are changing radically because of the presence of cancer.
How cancer manifests itself in the genome
"In healthy cells, these methyl groups are distributed throughout the genome," Drs explains. Carrascosa. In the genome of cancer cells, however, there is an intense accumulation of methyl groups at specific locations. The research group has now developed a cancer diagnostic tool that can reveal these model changes in the methyl groups in minutes.
How gold contributes to cancer diagnosis
Professor Trau explains how the test works: groups of methyl groups, indicators of cancer, produce a unique three-dimensional folding in the nanostructure. This structure will adhere easily to certain surfaces. According to Trau, gold has a perfect surface, to which special structures prefer to adhere. "We have developed a simple test with gold nanoparticles that immediately change color to determine whether 3D nanostructures of cancerous DNA are present," summarizes the results of Professor Trau's research.
Cancer cells release their DNA into the blood
The research group further explains that cancer cells release their DNA into the blood plasma after death. The blood test with the gold particles captures this cancer released DNA. "Discovering that cancer DNA molecules formed totally different 3D nanostructures of circulating DNA was a breakthrough that allowed for a whole new approach to diagnosing cancer in all tissue types, including blood." concludes the professor.
Cheap, mobile and accurate
"This has led to the development of a mobile and economical detection device that could potentially be used as a cancer diagnostic tool," Trau said. Maybe the device can even be controlled via a smartphone. Until now, tests on 200 human cancer samples have shown a 90% accuracy in diagnosis.
The holy grail of cancer diagnosis?
"We do not yet know if it's the Holy Grail for all cancer diagnoses," says the professor. But the discovery offers a simple and universal cancer marker, recognizable by low-cost technology that does not even require complicated laboratory equipment to detect. At present, the University of Queensland is looking for an appropriate partner to further develop the blood test and market it. (Vb)
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