Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer Through Metabolomic Analysis

A diagnostic test based on metabolites, bio-molecules produced during biological processes, has been developed that can be used as to detect pancreatic cancer in its early stages.

The pancreas is the organ responsible for producing and releasing enzymes needed in the absorption of food. It is also the organ where insulin and glucagon (hormones that help regulate the body's blood sugar) are made.

The pancreas is a long gland located behind the abdomen. Detecting and diagnosing pancreatic cancer is difficult because of the organ's location. Early stages of the cancer does not cause any symptoms and the middle stage symptoms are usually varied and non-specific. Only in its later stages that pancreatic cancer is diagnosed.

Metabolomics is the science of determining the metabolome of a biological sample. Metabolomes are the collection of small organic molecules in a cell. Metabolomes represent the collection of all metabolites in a biological cell, tissue, organ or organism and are the result of cellular processes. Researchers have developed a way to use metabolimic analysis to detect early stages of pancreatic cancer.

On a related note, a 15 year old student from Maryland recently won the $75,000 top science prize for discovering a simple pancreatic test that is 90% effective (see embedded video).

Using 5 ALA Fluorescence in Surgical Treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme

The University of California San Francisco describes the use of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) fluorescence to aid in visualizing tumor cells and differentiating them from other brain tissue during the surgical treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme.

5-Aminolevulinic Acid (5-ALA) makes brain tumor cells glow hot pink when illuminated with a special blue light incorporated into an operating microscope during surgery. The light helps to identify and remove tumor cells in a process called Fluorescent Guided Resection (FGR).

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is the most common and also the deadliest of brain cancers around. This form of cancer is very aggressive and a patient diagnosed with GBM has one to two years to live.

The cancerous tumor, called a glioma, starts in the brain or the spine. These gliomas are graded I to IV depending on how advanced the disease is. A Grade I GBM is the least advanced and offers the best prognosis. A Grade IV GBM is considered the most advanced and the hardest to treat.

Gliomas are groups of tumors that arise from the glia. Glias are non-neuronal cells that maintain homeostasis. They form myelin (a protective layer of cells), and provide support and protection for neurons in the brain within the central nervous system (CNS).

Researchers Develop Breath Analyzing Test To Diagnose Malignant and Benign Pulmonary Nodules

Pulmonary nodules or lung nodules are small masses of tissues in the lung. These nodules are common and are usually benign. Lung nodules are around 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) to 25 millimeter (1 inch) small. Anything larger than 25 millimeters may be cancerous.

An early test to diagnose a pulmonary nodule is to compare past x-ray or CT scan to the present one. This shows whether the nodule has significantly grown in size since the last scan or x-ray. If the nodule hasn't increased in size, it is most probably benign (non-cancerous).

Non-cancerous pulmonary nodules can be formed for a variety of reasons. These are infections, hamartoma (normal cells clumped together), cysts, and abnormalities in the blood flow and blood vessels. Constant monitoring of the nodule and comparative imaging test may determine the course of action in treating this type of pulmonary nodule. More often than not, it requires minimal or no treatment.

Study shows breath analysis could help diagnose pulmonary nodules

A pilot study, published in the October 2012 issue of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's (IASLC) Journal of Thoracic Oncology, showed that breath testing could be used to discriminate between benign and malignant pulmonary nodules. The study looked at 74 patients who were under investigation for pulmonary nodules and attended a referral clinic in Colorado between March 2009 and May 2010.

Researchers from Israel and Colorado collected exhaled breath from each patient, analyzing the exhaled volatile organic compounds using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry and information from chemical nanoarrays, which have been developed by Prof. Hossam Haick and his colleagues in the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. The patients also underwent a bronchoscopy, wedge resection and/or lobectomy, whichever was required for final diagnosis. Nodules that either regressed or remained stable over a 24-month period were considered benign.

Watching Instructional Video About Colonoscopy Improves Screening Attendance

A colonoscopy is an internal examination of the large intestine (colon) and rectum with an instrument called a colonoscope. The colonoscope is a medical instrument that has a small camera attached to a flexible tube that can reach and examine the entire length of the colon. The purpose of a colonoscopy is to provide a visual diagnosis (e.g. ulceration, polyps) and grants the opportunity for biopsy or removal of suspected lesions.

Colonoscopy can remove polyps as small as one millimetre or less. Once polyps are removed, they can be studied with the aid of a microscope to determine if they are precancerous or not. A polyp is an abnormal growth of tissue projecting from a mucous membrane, particularly the linings of internal organs along cavities.

The American Cancer Society recommends having a colonoscopy beginning at age 50. Men and women are suggested to follow any of these four testing schedules for screening to find colon polyps and cancer:

1. Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years
2. Colonoscopy every 10 years
3. Double-contrast barium enema every 5 years
4. CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every 5 years

Web-based video enhances patient compliance with cancer screening

Patients who watch an online instructional video are more likely to keep their appointments and arrive prepared for a scheduled colonoscopy than those who do not, according to a study by gastroenterologists at the University of Chicago Medicine.

The study, presented at the 2012 annual Digestive Diseases Week meeting in San Diego, CA, found that among patients age 50 to 65 – the primary target for colon cancer screening – those who watched the video were 40 percent less likely to cancel an appointment. That suggests many more cancers could be prevented or detected and treated early if more thorough instruction were given.