Cancer in the future by simple blood test recognizable

Scientists are developing new blood test that detects five different cancers
Many people die every year from cancer. Cancer has many different forms and is a major threat to human health. Often a cancer is detected too late and is then very difficult to treat. Thus, it would be of considerable advantage if cancer could be detected by a simple blood test. Exactly at such a kind of test scientists of the "National Institutes of Health" are currently working.

Cancer kills many people around the world each year. The disease is the second leading cause of death in the European Union (EU). Thus, it is not surprising that researchers around the world are trying to develop effective screening tests. Now, US scientists could have made the breakthrough. The physicians of the National Institutes of Health are working on a blood test to detect five different cancers. The results of their research published by the experts in the journal "Journal of Molecular Diagnostics".

A new blood test will identify five different cancers in the future. (Image: motorolka / fotolia.com)

Cancer alters chemical signature of ZNF154 gene, diagnostic tool detects change
Cancers are a serious threat to human health. Every year, countless people worldwide die of this disease. Often, cancer is simply recognized too late. A successful treatment is then usually difficult or impossible, say the doctors. Some scientists have been working for a long time on tests that should quickly and reliably determine whether a person has cancer. Thus, it might be possible in the near future to detect certain cancers by a simple blood test, the researchers explain. Such a test could save millions of lives around the world. Colon, lung, breast, stomach and uterine cancer could possibly be detected in the future by the new blood test. When tumors develop in one of these areas, the so-called ZNF154 gene alters its chemical signature. The new diagnostic tool is able to detect such a change, say the experts.

Researchers discover universal cancer biomarker
If a person has cancer, there is a higher level of methylation. This higher methylation, as can be found in some tumors, causes the activity of a particular gene to decrease. It was a major technical challenge, but the researchers found increased methylation that affected the ZNF154 gene. This association with tumors is unique, explain the scientists. Already in 2013 Dr. Elnitski and her research team traces of methylation on the ZNF154 gene in fifteen different tumor types in thirteen different organs. The researchers considered it a potential universal cancer biomarker. Biomarkers are biological molecules that indicate the presence of a disease, explain the physicians. We have thus created the prerequisites for developing a test for diagnosis. This could detect cancer more quickly and thus improve the survival rate of many types of cancer Elnitski. None of the scientists could sleep that night, so excited we were when we discovered this new biomarker candidate, adds the physicians.

New blood test offers a lot of potential and can detect cancer faster
All tumor types and subspecies consistently produce the same signs of methylation surrounding the ZNF154 gene. This finding could be an important step in the development of an investigation that can identify cancer early through a blood test. Current blood tests for cancer are so far specific for a tumor type. The new diagnostic tool could potentially give doctors the ability to detect lung, breast, uterine and stomach cancers early on, without the need for invasive and intrusive testing, the researchers explain. So far, doctors had to first find the tumor, then take a sample and determine its genome sequence. Once the tumor-specific mutations are known, they can be detected in the blood. The new blood test offers much more potential. No prior knowledge of the cancer is needed, the blood test could easily and quickly diagnose various cancers, the researchers say. This new test was "less invasive and instrusive" than other screening methods. We've laid the groundwork to develop a diagnostic test that can detect cancer earlier, dramatically improving the survival rate of people with many types of cancer Elnitski. (As)