Although currently only used to detect stomach cancer may in the future this technique may also help in the early diagnosis of other tumors.
Stomach cancer or adenocarcinoma is the fifth most common malignancy in the world. Although the exact causes of their appearance are not known, the key to coping is undoubtedly held detect in its early stage.
The most complex of the disease is usually associated at first with symptoms that are not excessively bothersome to the patient: bloating, heaviness, heavy digestions…
However, once the blood in the stool or appears for example weight loss inexplicable, the person would already be in an advanced stage, which, more aggressive techniques are needed to cope with the cancer cells.
It was in May this year when a team of young doctors in Mexico, Greece and Chile, have developed a bio-marker with which to facilitate early detection of stomach cancer.
It suffices only an analysis and a wait of two hours to rule out or diagnose the disease in its earliest stages. Something that undoubtedly raise significantly the life expectancy of these patients.
It is very positive news we want to share with you.
Stomach cancer, the need for early diagnosis
Although stomach cancer is not as frequent or as virulent lung cancer, it is known that each year are diagnosed in the world about one million affected.
If the disease is in the advanced stages, they face a more complex struggle.
- This type of tumor is especially common in the Pacific countries and although is often associated to snuff, another factor to consider is the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.
- This bacterium, despite being present in the stomach lining of many people, can be combined with other factors for cancer cells appear.
- The Helicobacter pylori are therefore a precursor of the disease as long as the person has a very specific gene, c aga (A gene associated with cytotoxin).
Thus, we can conclude that the probability of suffering or not this type of cancer is a subtle combination between our lifestyle, diet, genetics and even the presence of various toxic environmental.
It is very difficult to prevent. Now, what does the experts tell us is that if a stomach cancer is detected in its earliest stages, survival is 90%.
So this news is so encouraging.
The creators of the biomarker
Those responsible for this work have been the Chilean engineer Alejandro Tocigl, scientific Foteini Christodoulou Greek and Mexican electronics engineer Jorge Soto.
- These young scientists have designed a biomarker to diagnose the disease in just a few hours, thanks to a simple analysis of blood.
- The work was presented in the program of Singularity University, an initiative funded by Google and NASA in order to respond to various medical and social needs.
- The study and development of this biomarker is the result of work over three years conducted at the University Of California San Francisco (UCSF).
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A few drops of blood to save lives
The need to create a new detection technique was much needed.
Today patients with symptoms associated with a possible stomach cancer should expect appointments with specialists, where they will practice from endoscopy to other equally complex tests, invasive and expensive.
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- Something as simple as include in our routine blood tests this biomarker to detect a possible stomach tumor could reveal their presence long before we even we had any symptoms.
- Once the analysis is done, the blood is passed through a small machine called Miroculus that has the ability to decipher in very simple conditions combining these molecules molecules associated with cancer.
- The machine offers a diagnosis in only two hours. Something simple, safe and effective it is expected that in 2018, already reaches most countries.
- In view of the good results are expected to be added soon other markers for Miroculus can also detect other types of cancer and other diseases.
- It is a kind of economic technology that would lower costs and offer other evidence undoubtedly an early and effective diagnosis. While, yes, we note again that will not be available until 2018.
However, it never hurts to remember that contribute to the early detection of cancer, or any other disease should not hesitate to turn to our doctors for any minor annoyance, before any irregularity we feel in our body.
