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New blood test detects cancer - study

Other News Materials 20 February 2010 23:16 (UTC +04:00)
Researchers have developed a new personalized blood test, which can detect whether a patient's cancer has spread or come back.
New blood test detects cancer - study

Researchers have developed a new personalized blood test, which can detect whether a patient's cancer has spread or come back.

According to the study published in Science Translational Medicine, the new gene-based test can check the whole genetic code of a patient for possible extra DNA copies or fused chromosomes, PressTV reported.

"There are about nine or so rearrangements on average in every sample," said Victor Velculescu of Johns Hopkins, stressing that these rearrangements can only be seen in cancerous tissue.

Resecting the tumor or undergoing chemotherapy, on the other hand, was associated with lowered blood levels of the tumors' genetic signature or biomarker.

Scientists hope their findings will help them through prescribing more aggressive therapy to some patients while sparing others from unneeded treatment.

They believe the personalized test can also help them detect the tumors before they are too big to be non-operable.

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