Mesothelioma cancer can now be detected earlier

U.S. researchers find specific changes in the blood of patients suffering from two types of fatal cancers are pancreatic cancer and mesothelioma cancer. This allows the physician to diagnose cancer at earlier stages.

By using scanning technology developed by Somalogic Inc., the company researchers say they can detect early signs of pancreatic cancer and one type of lung cancer called mesothelioma in people who are diagnosed but not receiving treatment for the disease. "At this time the cancer is detected at an advanced stage, when the possibility of treatment has been minimal," said Rachel Ostroff, director of clinical research on Somalogic Inc., who presented the findings at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Denver recently.

Pancreatic cancer usually strikes without symptoms and only recently recognized at an advanced stage. The National Cancer Institute says pancreatic cancer is rarely curable. If the cancer is still in the pancreas (localized), cure rates will be higher. Even so, it is usually best wishes in all cases only slightly less than 20 percent.

For patients with cancer that is still smaller than 2 cm, with no spread to lymph nodes, cancer surgery can save patients up to five years at least. This possibility could reach 18-24 percent.

The pancreas is an organ shaped like a tube sponges length approximately 6 inches, which is found behind the stomach. The pancreas produces enzymes and hormones, including insulin. Pancreatic enzymes help digest food in the small intestine, whereas insulin to control blood sugar levels. Both enzymes and hormones necessary for maintaining the body to work properly.

Men have twice as likely to attack this disease. Pancreatic cancer is more common in smokers than nonsmokers. People suffering from chronic pancreatic disease and those who are likely to suffer from long-standing diabetes (especially women) have a greater risk.

Meanwhile, mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is often caused by malignant cells that develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the organs. The most common is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but may also occur in the pericardium, or lining vaginalis.

Most of the people affected by mesothelioma caused by frequent exposure to asbestos particles. Washing clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can also be at risk of developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, and no association between mesothelioma and smoking.

Symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural fluid (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and also because of excess weight. "This aggressive cancer detection at earlier stages will identify patients for early treatment, which may improve their quality of life and a chance to recover," he said.

Pancreatic cancer is relatively rare, but it is the fourth largest cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States (U.S.). While mesothelioma, caused by asbestos, killed around 15 thousand to 20 thousand people per year worldwide.

In October, NEC Corp. of Japan to invest U.S. $ 5 million as part of a strategic partnership with Somalogic, based in Colorado to develop technology aimed at detecting the disease by testing the protein in a drop of blood. Somalogic test depends on aptamers - a series of genetic material that is bound to proteins. Somalogic have improved technology that makes the molecule more likely to fixate on particular proteins.

For the study, researchers tested the blood sample firms patients suffering from two types of cancer, and those who joined in the control group who have a condition with symptoms similar to pancreatitis and cancers such as lung fibrosis. The team used computer models to find significant differences in biology, or biological markers that distinguish blood samples from cancer patients with those who do not have cancer.

For both cancers, the team found a biological marker that has high accuracy in detecting any type of cancer, said Ostroff. They are also very specific, in the sense that they are able to properly remove the people who do not suffer from the cancer. Now biomarkers that need to be confirmed by other studies to ensure that the results are accurate and can be reproduced in diagnostic tests. "It's easy to find biomarkers," Ostroff said at the meeting. "It's hard to do validation on them."

Ostroff said his team will observe a number of factors that can trigger false positive results, such as how long a sample should be placed on the shelf before being tested. "We examined these parameters to ensure that we observe biomarkers of disease," he said.