Wisconsin researchers say DNA from blood samples could help detect cancer early

Some of the deadliest cancers are also the most difficult to detect before symptoms appear, but researchers in Wisconsin are using technology to make it more effective at identifying cancers early. We have developed a simple and inexpensive method.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison analyzed extracellular DNA fragments in plasma samples to test for cancer markers. The researcher found that he correctly distinguished cancer patients from healthy individuals 91% of the time.

“We hope that we will be able to diagnose cancer patients early, treat them with surgery and other existing therapies, and cure the disease,” UW School of Medicine and Public Health.

Murtaza is also Deputy Director of the Center for Human Genomics and Precision Medicine.he led the studywas published in Science Translational Medicine.

The team examined sequencing data from more than 2,600 plasma samples from nearly 1,000 patients with one of 11 types of cancer. Among others, it includes brain, breast, liver, lung, stomach and bile duct cancers.

“I think the inclusion of these multiple different cancer types shows that what we’re measuring is related to cancer as a whole,” Murtaza said. There is some variability. The test was more accurate for cancers of the brain and bile duct than, for example, stomach cancer, but we hope to improve results in the future by focusing on one type of cancer at a time. thinking about.

Even in stage 1 cancer patients, the model was accurate 87% of the time.

“We hope that we can find cancer before it spreads and potentially be cured using existing clinical approaches,” Murtaza said.

The concept of using blood samples to identify cancer patients is not new, but Murtaza said the study shows that researchers can use significantly smaller amounts of blood in a much more cost-effective manner. Suggested, about $50 or less for a sample run. in the lab.

“In the field of liquid biopsy, a lot of work has been done that has focused on mutations. said Murtaza.

Researchers also used a machine learning approach to separate the samples.

As a next step, the team hopes to investigate whether their approach can be combined with existing diagnostic tests for patients at high risk of developing certain types of cancer.

Another possibility is to use samples to see how patients undergoing chemotherapy are responding to treatment.

Rebecca Minter, professor and director of surgery at the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, leads the pancreatic cancer prevention program. She said many of the deadliest cancers are relatively rare, but there are few effective methods other than imaging.

“The problem is that often the image alone doesn’t show anything, and the next time an image is taken, you see a large cancer,” she said.

The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer patients is about 12%, she said, often because the disease is advanced in the terminal stages before doctors intervene with curative treatment. In part, it’s also because of biology.Minter said some tumors are very lethal and some cells are too aggressive.

But she believes Murtaza’s research can help doctors intervene earlier.

“In a non-specific way, we can look for many bad cancers, and from there we can focus on what the actual cancer is,” Minter said.

“It could impact people around the world, especially those in Wisconsin who have first access to clinical trials, treatments and cures,” she added.

“It’s really exciting, especially in Madison, with its amazing surroundings and environment, with start-up facilities that help take this kind of discovery to the next level,” Minter said.

Murtaza said the team plans to apply for future funding from the NIH to validate their approach. Researchers can also partner with industry, he said, as some companies have already expressed interest.

Over the past 30 years, cancer death rates in the United States have fallen by a third. According to a recent report from the American Cancer Society,a trend attributed to early detection and advances in treatment for murtaza.

“Our study is another step in that direction and seeks to make early detection feasible for large segments of society and to make such testing more accessible and cost-effective.” increase.