No hide and seek required for cancer anymore: CancerSEEK blood test can detect it at early stage

NewsBharati    24-Feb-2018
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Mumbai, February 24: Till date, we have known cancer detection is a complex similar to the disease. But breaking the complex wall, researchers have developed a blood test that can detect the presence of eight common cancers.

CancerSEEK:

The blood test named as Cancer SEEK detects tiny amounts of DNA and proteins released into the bloodstream from cancer cells. This can then indicate the presence of ovarian, liver, stomach, pancreatic, oesophageal, bowel, lung or breast cancers.

Liquid Biopsy but not a biopsy:

Though it is called as Liquid Biopsy, it is totally different in nature. The removal of tissue or cells for analysis is called a biopsy. Depending on patient’s situation, a piece of skin, tissue, organ, or suspected tumor is surgically removed and sent to a lab for testing.

Cancer Seek is less invasive as well as can be tested at an early stage. The test has been shown to reliably detect early stage and curable cancers. It has also been found to rarely be positive in people who don’t have cancer. This prevents significant anxiety and further invasive tests for those who don’t need them. Moreover, it can be performed as routine blood test.

How the test works:

Often long before causing any symptoms, even very small tumours will begin to release minute amounts of mutated DNA and abnormal proteins into blood. While DNA and proteins are also released from normal cells, the DNA and proteins from cancer cells are unique, containing multiple changes not present in normal cells.

The newly developed blood-based cancer DNA test is exquisitely sensitive, accurately detecting one mutated fragment of DNA among 10,000 normal DNA fragments, literally “finding the needle in the haystack”.

While cancer is detected usually at an advance stage, such tests will reduce both physical pain and financial loss. Moreover, CancerSEEK can not only detect that there is a cancer somewhere in the body but can also suggest where to start looking.