Great! Blood test pinpoints cancer location before symptoms appear
The key to fighting cancer is early detection.
Scientists may have scored a major point in that regard.
“CancerLocator”, a blood test for cancer, has been developed by a team at the University of California.
It works by hunting for the DNA from tumours which circulates in the blood of cancer patients.
The test not only detects cancer but identifies where it is in the body, before symptoms show.
“Non-invasive diagnosis of cancer is important, as it allows the early diagnosis of cancer, and the earlier the cancer is caught, the higher chance a patient has of beating the disease,” said Professor Jasmine Zhou, co-lead author from the University of California at Los Angeles.
“We have developed a computer-driven test that can detect cancer, and also identify the type of cancer, from a single blood sample.
“The technology is in its infancy and requires further validation, but the potential benefits to patients are huge,” Zhou said.
About *featured image
Dora Nkem Akunyili (14 July 1954 – 7 June 2014) was the Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) of Nigeria and Nigerian Minister of Information and Communications from 2008 to 2010. She was a pharmacist and governmental administrator who gained international recognition and won several awards for her work in pharmacology, public health and human rights. Akunyili ran for election as Senator for Anambra Central for the APGA in April 2011 but was defeated by Chris Ngige of the ACN. She immediately sent a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission disputing the result.[1] She died in an Indian hospital on 7 June 2014 after a battle with cancer.
