subject: Biomarkers – helping in the fight against cancer [print this page] According to the leading cancer charity in the United Kingdom, there are around 298,000 new cases of cancer which are diagnosed every year and current figures suggest that one in three people in the UK will develop a form of cancer during their life. Breast cancer is the most common form of the disease, with 15 per cent of cancer sufferers developing this particular illness.
Understandably, with more than 156,000 cancer-related deaths in the UK during 2008, a considerable amount of time and money is being put into trying to find a way to beat the disease. The use of biomarkers is helping with the research effort and they are playing a crucial role in tests being carried out across the world.
In Sheffield, a two-year trial process has begun to try and create a non-invasive test for oral cancer which has been designed to be swift and cause the patient as little stress and upset as possible. The test involves using a brush to collect cells from the inside of a person's mouth, which are then analysed for signs of cancer. With just 20 minutes between the sample being taken and the results known, the new test would be far quicker than the current process.
At the moment a sample has to be taken from the patient's mouth with a scalpel which is understandably a distressing process for some patients. According to a report by The Engineer, this sample then has to be sent off and can take over a week to analyse. The new process would not only be beneficial to patients, but also provide considerable cost and time savings.
The analysis process involves placing the collected sample onto a card containing a nano-bio-chip which is then passed into a machine which brings biomarkers into contact with the patient's cells. Contact with diseased cells will cause a reaction. The Engineer said Sheffield was chosen due to its experience in biomarker analysis.
A considerable amount of testing remains to be done, but it is hoped that if the trials are successful at the University of Sheffield, then the process could be in use within five years, helping to diagnose the presence of oral cancer.
As more cancer biomarkers are discovered it will help researchers in their fight against the disease. There is little doubt that biomarkers will continue to play a key role.
Biomarkers helping in the fight against cancer
By: Jamie Francis
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