Besides, researchers say the blood test they are now working on will distinguish between several types of cancer

Nov 3, 2014 10:03 GMT  ·  By
Researchers say something as simple as a blood test could one day serve to diagnose cancer
   Researchers say something as simple as a blood test could one day serve to diagnose cancer

Researchers speaking at the National Cancer Research Institute Cancer Conference in the UK this past Sunday announced to the world that, soon enough, doctors might be able to rely on a simple blood test to accurately diagnose cancer patients.

What's more, it appears that the blood test scientists with Cancer Research UK now have in the works will be able to tell the difference between several types of cancer. Hence, doctors will have an easier time pinning down one form of cancer or another while still in its early stages.

Needless to say, this means that people suffering from cancer will receive treatment sooner rather than later. This will in turn up their chances to make a full recovery and get back to business as usual.

Using blood to diagnose cancer

As shown by previous investigations, all forms of cancer leave specific markers in people's blood. Of these markers, specialists with Cancer Research UK have until now catalogued and studied well over 800. The markers were identified by reviewing as many as 19,000 scientific papers on cancer.

It is believed that, by developing a test that focuses on pinning down these markers in people's blood and alerting doctors about their presence, the scientists working on this research project will essentially create an early diagnosis tool for cancer.

“This is a new approach to early detection and the first time such a systematic review has been done. A single blood-based screening test would be a game changer for early detection of cancer which could help make it a curable disease for many more patients,” said specialist Ian Cree.

Word has it that, now that they have successfully identified over 800 blood markers associated with cancer, scientists want to have a closer look at each and every one of them and figure out which are the most relevant when it comes to diagnosing various types of cancer.

The bad news is there's plenty of work left to do

As mentioned, the scientists working on developing this blood test for cancer now wish to study each of the markers associated with this condition in further detail. The investigations will be carried out in a series of clinical laboratory studies and will likely take years to complete.

In fact, researcher Ian Cree and colleagues expect that it will be at least 2 decades until the blood test could actually make a difference when it comes to treating actual human patients. More precisely, it is said that it will be some 20 years before the test could make it possible for 3 in 4 cancer patients to survive at least 10 years following diagnosis.

Commenting on the importance of this research project, scientist Sara Hiom pointed out that “This is an innovative and promising new approach.” Furthermore, “Although in its early stages, it shows how our increased understanding of cancers’ markers and new technologies are combining to offer new opportunities to detect cancer sooner.”