A simple blood test could detect early signs of deadly 'asbestos cancer', scientists have claimed
Published:
15 November 2003 y., Saturday
Patients with mesothelioma - often caused by exposure to asbestos - often die within a few years of diagnosis.
But in a study published in The Lancet, researchers say checking levels of a key protein can identify over 80% of cases at an early stage.
Earlier detection would mean doctors could treat the patient using chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery.
Mesothelioma affects the mesothelial tissue surrounding the lungs. The aggressive cancer develops decades after asbestos exposure.
But not all those who worked with asbestos go on to develop the cancer, and Australian scientists were looking for a way of identifying who was at risk.
Researchers from the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Australia, developed a test to assess blood concentrations of soluble mesothelian related (SMR) protein, which has been shown to be an indicator of other cancers.
Šaltinis:
BBC News
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
A regional court in the southern city of Krakow on Tuesday cleared the U.S. tobacco company Philip Morris and France's Seita of liability in causing lung cancer and the death of a Polish woman.
more »
Ecstasy, the amphetamine-like drug made popular by ``raves'' and other mass dancing events, can severely deplete levels of a brain chemical linked with mood, researchers said on Monday.
more »
Health: Drug doesn't fight the virus but prevents many opportunistic infections. Still, even its low cost poses problems for poor nations.
more »
On Tuesday, June 4th, over 200 representatives of the Russian scientific community gathered in the streets of major Russian cities to demonstrate against a bill to cut funding for scientific research.
more »
On Wednesday the "Kosmos-3M" light carrierrocket was launched from the "Plesetsk" cosmodrome.
more »
Canadian scientists found that one virus destroy cancer tumor cells. Maybe it is the beginning of anti-cancer medicine?
more »
In a major step toward a new era of gene-based medicine and disease treatment, two research centers are expected to announce on Monday that they separately have sketched a map detailing the secrets of human genetic structure.
more »
The specialists are sure that "large-scale influence of the chemical weapon on the environment of the Baltic sea is impossible".
more »
The scientists build the biggest botanical garden in the World, which will contain the plants from three climate zones. The project is called the Eden Project.
more »
Government and industry are to invest matching funds to develop optical Internet technology, Science Minister Lord Sainsbury said today.
more »