New technique for early detection of lung cancer
Washington: In what could pave the way for early diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer, an Indian-origin researcher-led team claims to have developed a method that can detect the onset of disease.
The study conducted by researchers from Northwestern University and the NorthShore University HealthCare System (NorthShore ).
Dr Hemant Roy of NorthShore University and colleagues at Northwestern University, said method detects lung cancer by testing the cheek cells in people using cutting-edge technology Biophotonics, the 'Cancer Research' journal reported.
By examination of the lining of the cheek with this optical technology, we have the potential to pre-screening patients at high risk for lung cancer, such as those who smoke, and identify individuals who would probably benefit from more invasive and expensive tests versus those who do not need further tests, said Roy.
The optical technique called partial wave spectroscopic microscopy that can detect cell functions as little as 20 nanometers, reveal differences in the cells that appear normal using standard microscopy techniques, says scientists.
The PWS-based test makes use of the field effect, a biological phenomenon in which cells are located some distance from the malignant or pre-malignant tumor undergoes molecular and other changes.
Backman and Roy used PWS previously to assess the risk of colon and pancreatic cancer, also promising results.
PWS can detect cell functions as little as 20 nanometers, reveal differences in the cells that appear normal with standard microscopy techniques.The study consisted of 135 participants including 63 smokers with lung cancer and control groups of 37 smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 13 smokers without COPD and 22 non-smokers.After testing the technology in a small scale trial, Roy and Backman study focused on smokers, Since smoking is the most important risk factor associated with 90 percent of lung cancer patients.
The research was not confused by the participants' demographic factors as the amount of smoking, age or gender.
Importantly, test was as sensitive to cancer at all stages, including early curable cancers.
The researchers swabbed the inside of the patient's mouth, cheek cells and then used on a slide, solved in ethanol and optical scanned using PWS for measuring the strength of disturbance of the cell nanoarchitecture.
Results was significantly elevated (more than 50 per cent) in patients with lung cancer compared to cancer-free smokers.A detailed assessment of the attributes tof he disorder strength (as a biomarker) showed greater than 80 percent accuracy in discriminating cancer patients from individuals in the three control groups.
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on Thursday, October 07, 2010.
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