MOSCOW, May 25 – Trend Wire. Scientists in China have developed a device 10,000 times more sensitive that can detect early-stage cancer biomarkers in a drop of blood, a Hong Kong newspaper reports. South China Morning Post (SCMP).
The study was carried out by a team of scientists led by Wen Liaoyong from Xihu University in Hangzhou. The results were published in the journal Nature Photonics.
“The new system is almost 10 thousand times more sensitive in detecting lung cancer in the early stages than traditional methods,” the newspaper writes.
Traditional equipment for detecting cancer biomarkers in blood is typically the size of a two-door refrigerator. So Wen Liaoyong’s team developed a small, high-performance device that fits in the hand. It can be used both in clinical and home settings.
“Soon, just one drop of blood can be used to detect early stage cancer,” Wen Liaoyong was quoted as saying by SCMP.
To demonstrate the system’s capabilities, Wen Liaoyong’s team collaborated with Xiamen University to identify small extracellular vesicles (an important cancer biomarker in liquid biopsy that is difficult to detect) associated with lung cancer. In testing on 171 clinical samples, the system achieved 94.9% accuracy in the early detection of lung cancer. While traditional methods achieved only 74.7% accuracy.
The system has broader applications beyond tumor screening, according to the study.
Source: Ria