Skin cancer will soon be detectable easily and cheaply

This new melanoma blood test is designed for early diagnosis and uses biomarkers (markers) in the blood to determine whether the body triggers an immune response to cancer.

The researchers identified 10 biomarkers, including those that form in the blood. They have successfully detected cancer at an early stage 84% of the time.

One of the authors and researchers at Edith Cowan University, Professor Mel Ziman, said the test was very useful when it was used prior to skin biopsy

. "We can help provide early diagnostic certainty, to prevent people from going to the doctor later because they do not regularly check their skin, or that they do not recognize it." not soon enough, we have to fill that void, "says Ziman. The biopsy of the skin itself requires local anesthesia by removing a small amount of tissue. While the blood test is not too invasive

"This can make people less frightened of going to do a skin exam."

The next phase of this experiment will target up to 90% to use any pathology laboratory in the world. Ziman and his colleagues believe this can be achieved in three years.