New Method Will Help Physicians Detect Early Stage Lymph Node Cancers

The vast majority of cancer deaths are due to the spread of cancer from one organ to another, which can occur through the blood or lymphatic system. However, it can be difficult to detect this early enough. Researchers at Tohoku University have come up with a new method that would allow doctors to detect cancers in the lymph nodes while they're still small, before they move to Other parts of the body. This can greatly increase the chances of successful treatment.

There are not many imaging techniques to detect tumors in the lymph nodes before they become too bulky, especially in smaller lymph nodes. Lymph node biopsies are one option, but they can often give false negative results. The team therefore wanted to develop a new method to accurately detect the first phases of a cancer spreading to another part of the body, using a technique called X-ray computer tomography. (micro-CT).

The team tested its new method on mice with bad cancer cells inserted into their lymph nodes. They injected a contrast agent at a slow and steady rate into the lymph nodes upstream of the cancer cell carriers. While the contrast agent was pbading through the lymphatic system, the researchers were able to map its motion using micro-TDM.

Initially, the researchers observed no change in the flow of the contrast agent. However, after 28 days of injection of the cancer cells into the lymph nodes, these were divided and enlarged to such an extent that they blocked the flow of the contrast agent. , creating empty pockets in the scanner without contrast agent.

By comparing the shape of the lymph node and areas containing the contrast agent, the researchers were able to get a clear picture of the presence of cancer cells.

Next, researchers would like to find better contrast agents that provide a clearer and more accurate picture of how cancer cells move in the lymphatic system. In the future, this technique could be an effective way to detect tumors early before they spread to the body, saving many lives and adding an additional tool to which doctors can turn to fight cancer.