Blood test to detect cancer within just 10 minutes developed by scienti

[Common]

Blood test to detect cancer within just 10 minutes developed by scientists

blood test can detect cancer within just 10 minutes, scientists have found, raising hopes that hard-to-spot diseases could be picked up early when treatment is most effective. Currently doctors use symptoms and a raft of tests and biopsies to determine if cancer is present which can sometimes take months.

The new method from the University of Queensland looks for differences in the genetic code of cancerous and healthy cells.


The team found that the DNA of cancer cells sticks strongly to nanoparticles of gold giving a quick indication whether disease is present or not to the naked eye.


And because the same changes occur in all cancerous cells, the test should work on all cancer types, the team believes.


Writing in the journal Nature Communications Dr Matt Trau, Professor of Chemistry, said: “Our approach enabled non-invasive cancer detection, i.e a blood test, in 10 min from plasma derived DNA samples with excellent specificity.


“We believe that this simple approach would potentially be a better alternative to the current techniques for cancer detection.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/...ed-scientists/

[Peter1469]

It seems as if the researchers are cautiously optimistic that this test will be useful in the clinical setting. So how long until it can be used? And how much will it cost?

[Common]

It seems as if the researchers are cautiously optimistic that this test will be useful in the clinical setting. So how long until it can be used? And how much will it cost?

Will insurers pay for it

[Peter1469]

Will insurers pay for it

I expect that they would if they believed it worked.

[MMC]

Lets hope this works.

[Mini Me]

It seems as if the researchers are cautiously optimistic that this test will be useful in the clinical setting. So how long until it can be used? And how much will it cost?

If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it!

[Peter1469]

If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it!

I don't know the price, but I imagine that I could afford it. The question is whether I believed the price was worth the potential benefit.

[pragmatic]

Will insurers pay for it?

If the procedure works, insurers would flock to it.

[Captdon]

If the procedure works, insurers would flock to it.

Don't be too sure of that. They wouldn't pay for patches for smokers until recently.

[MisterVeritis]

As it currently stands it is a screening test.

Although currently, the test cannot determine where the cancer is, or how advanced it might be, it could give doctors an early warning that disease is present so they can carry out more detailed tests.

For cancers like pancreatic and ovarian which have few warning signs, it could mean the disease is picked up before it has spread, and while there is still time for surgery and drugs to be effective.