We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Groundbreaking Blood Test Detects Tumors Early in High-Risk Families

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 25 Oct 2023

Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a hereditary genetic disorder that comes with an almost certain risk of developing cancer at some point in life. More...

The condition is due to mutations in the TP53 gene, which is responsible for making a protein that acts as a sort of "genome protector" by inhibiting tumor development. People with LFS are susceptible to developing a variety of cancers, affecting organs like the breast, soft tissues, and brain, among others. For kids who have LFS, frequent visits to healthcare facilities for yearly brain and full-body MRIs, along with regular blood draws, ultrasounds, and physical check-ups, are crucial for early cancer detection. However, these frequent tests can be both stressful for families and taxing on the healthcare system. Now, a simple blood test can accurately identify when and sometimes even where cancer is developing.

Researchers from The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto, ON, Canada) have developed a more effective way to detect early stages of cancer in LFS patients, using a method called "liquid biopsy." This method examines DNA fragments in blood samples that are shed by cancer cells. The team examined 170 blood samples collected from 82 people with LFS over multiple years. Their results revealed that early signs of leukemia were evident in a patient several months before any visible tumor or symptoms appeared. This provides a proof-of-principle framework that could support the detection of cancers in their early stages in people with LFS and possibly others.

The findings of this study could eventually eliminate the need for the myriad of tests currently required, while simultaneously increasing the accuracy and specificity of cancer diagnoses. In the upcoming months, a clinical trial will be carried out to further examine this new approach. The trial aims to discover cancers earlier and will involve individuals who have different kinds of cancer-prone genetic syndromes, including LFS, Lynch syndrome, neurofibromatosis, and hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.

“These promising findings can be extended to all hereditary cancer syndromes to help improve the accuracy of cancer detection, especially for common tumour types, utilizing several types of analyses that leverage different biological measurements,” said Dr. David Malkin, Senior Staff Oncologist and Senior Scientist who led the study at SickKids.

Related Links:
The Hospital for Sick Children 


Gold Member
Veterinary Hematology Analyzer
Exigo H400
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
New
Silver Member
Quality Control Material
NATtrol Chlamydia trachomatis Positive Control
New
DNA/RNA Extraction/Purification Kit
Nucleic Acid Extraction or Purification Kit
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: A simple blood test could replace surgical biopsies for early detecion of heart transplant rejection (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Detects Organ Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients

Following a heart transplant, patients are required to undergo surgical biopsies so that physicians can assess the possibility of organ rejection. Rejection happens when the recipient’s immune system identifies... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.