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PERTH, Australia – Melanoma is the least common but deadliest cancer among skin cancers, therefore, early diagnosis is essential to increase the chances of treatment. Today, self – examination is the best way to identify tumors, but the procedure is not simple. It requires that people know the spots and stains on the body and regularly look for changes or the appearance of new brands. The material is then collected and sent for biopsy. Thus, a blood test developed by researchers at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia, is considered an important step. In the early trials, he was able to diagnose melanoma at an early stage, which could save thousands of lives.
– Patients who have an early detected melanoma have a five-year survival rate of 90% and 99%, if it is not detected early and spreads throughout the body, the rate falls to less than 50% – explained the research leader Pauline Zaenker. – That's what makes this blood test as exciting as a potential diagnostic tool because it can find melanoma in its early stages when it is still treatable.
According to data from the National Cancer Institute (Inca) skin cancer is the most common in the country, accounting for about 30% of the malignancies recorded in Brazil, and melanoma accounts for only 3% of neoplasms of the organ. The estimate is that 6,260, or 2,920 men and 3,340 women, will be diagnosed with melanoma this year, with more than 1,500 deaths. Estimates from the World Health Organization indicate that 132,000 cases of melanoma are diagnosed each year
The blood test detects antibodies produced by the body in response to melanoma. Clinical trials were performed on 105 patients with the tumor and 104 healthy people as a control group. In 81.5% of cases, neoplasia was successfully detected. New experiences are still needed to validate the results, but it is expected that the tool will be available in the next three years.
Pauline explains that the body starts to produce antibodies as soon as the first cancer cells are formed. Scientists analyzed a total of 1627 different types of antibodies to identify a combination of ten of them that best detect the presence of the disease.
– Although doctors do a fantastic job with the tools available, relying on biopsies can be a problem. . We know that three out of four biopsies are negative for melanoma. And biopsies are very invasive, with a minimum extraction of 1 square centimeter of patients' skin – said the researcher. – They are also expensive, with previous research showing that the Australian health system spends $ 201 million a year on melanoma, with an additional $ 73 million with negative biopsies.
Professor Mel Ziman, co-author of the paper published in the journal "Oncotarget" explains that the blood test can be used for screening patients for biopsy and routine examinations in risk groups, such as that people with a lot of pints, a very fair skin or a history of the disease in the family
Sanchia Aranda, director of Cancer Council Australia, found the test "interesting", but hopes that new tests will help 39 evaluate the impact of the tool on patient survival rates. And while the exam is not available, the recommendation is to pay attention to any strange place on the body.
– We must also remember that prevention is always better than cure, "said Sanchia – Whenever the ultraviolet rays are strong, it is better to wear the shirt, wear sunscreen and put on the hat, look for shelter and put on sunglasses.
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