New test may detect mesothelioma cancerDenver, Colorado - Reuter’s reports that new technology developed by private company Somalogic, Inc. may allow oncologists to diagnose mesothelioma, a rare and fatal form of cancer, much earlier than they were previously able. The screening test measures changes in the blood that indicate cancer in its earliest stages, when treatment is generally more successful. The study revealed that the test is effective relative to mesothelioma as well as pancreatic cancer.
“Currently these cancers are detected at an advanced state, where the possibility of cure is minimal,” said a Somalogic, Inc. clinical researcher.
Mesothelioma is attributed to previous asbestos exposure. While palliative mesothelioma treatment options like chemotherapy can extend a patient’s life, there is no cure for the disease.
“Detection of these aggressive cancers at an earlier stage would identify patients for early treatment, which may improve their survival and quality of life.”
Across the globe, as many as 20,000 people die of mesothelioma annually. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, and both are difficult to diagnose in general. Somalogic, Inc. uses the presence of “aptamers,” or materials that bond to proteins, to detect these cancers in patients suffering from related symptoms. Their technology allows aptamers to stick to specific proteins that indicate the presence of mesothelioma and pancreatic cancer.
Patients with both of these cancers submitted blood samples, which were tested for biomarkers associated to cancer. The detection system is so specific that it can rule out the presence of other cancers, giving doctors a more specific diagnosis.
