New blood test for cancer?
Anybody see anything or know a site with the info. What i heard didn't explain much.
Susan
Comments
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This is what I found...Very encouraging!
New blood test helps spot migrating cancer cells
A blood test that can detect cancer or determine whether a cancer has begun spreading to other parts of the body has moved a little closer to your doctor's office.
A blood test that can detect cancer or determine whether a cancer has begun spreading to other parts of the body has moved a little closer to your doctor's office.
Updated: Mon Jan. 03 2011 2:32:23 PM
CTV.ca News Staff
A blood test that can detect cancer or determine whether a cancer has begun spreading to other parts of the body has moved a little closer to your doctor's office.
Health care giant Johnson & Johnson announced Monday that two of its units will begin working with Boston researchers to bring the test to market. As well, four big U.S. cancer centers will start studies on the blood test this year.
The experimental test looks for stray cancer cells in the blood, which are cancer cells that have detached from a tumor and mean that a cancer has either spread, or is likely to. Left unchecked, these circulating cancer cells can grow into new tumors.
Circulating tumor cells are found at very low levels in the bloodstream and are hard to detect. While there is one test on the market that can spot cancer cells in the blood -- a test called CellSearch, also made by a J&J unit –- that current test can only give a cell count. It doesn't capture whole cells that doctors can then analyze to monitor disease progression and to choose treatments.
"This new technology has the potential to facilitate an easy-to-administer, non-invasive blood test that would allow us to count tumor cells, and to characterize the biology of the cells," said Robert McCormack, head of Technology Innovation and Strategy at Veridex, one of two J&J units -- Veridex and Ortho Biotech Oncology – collaborating on research on the blood test.
"Harnessing the information contained in these cells in an in vitro clinical setting could enable tools to help select treatment and monitor how patients are responding."
This newest test requires just a couple of teaspoons of blood, meaning patients might even be able to skip painful biopsies of cancer tumors.
Not only can the test detect cancer, it can be used to monitor treatment in already diagnosed patients.
The test is so sensitive that doctors can administer a cancer therapy one day and sample the patient's blood the next day to see if the circulating tumour cells are gone.
Ultimately, the test might also be able to go beyond screening for metastatic cancer to actually spotting primary cancer. That could one day mean that the test could replace uncomfortable cancer screening methods used now, such as mammograms, colonoscopies and PSA tests.
The test works with a microchip that is covered in tens of thousands of tiny bristle-like posts. The posts are coated with antibodies that bind to tumor cells.
When blood is forced across the chip, the cancer cells will stick to the posts. Stains then make the cells glow so researchers can count and capture them for study.
The test is said to be so sensitive that it can find even just one cancer cell in a billion or more healthy cells, said Mehmet Toner, a Harvard University bioengineer who helped design the test.
Studies of the chip have already been published in the journals Nature, the New England Journal of Medicine and Science Translational Medicine.
The agreement announced Monday will have Veridex and another J&J unit -- Ortho Biotech Oncology –- working together to improve the microchip, including trying a cheaper plastic to make it practical for mass production.
The companies will start a research center at Massachusetts General Hospital and will have rights to license the test from the hospital, which holds the patents.
Dr. Shana Kelley, a professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Science at the University of Toronto and an expert on molecular diagnostics, is part of a U of T team that's developing similar microchip technology that could one day help detect the proteins that are unique to specific cancers.
She says the field is seeing lots of promising developments.
"There is a lot of excitement around circulating tumor cells," she told CTV News. "But we don't have enough clinical data to be able to say whether or not we can use these as substitute of biopsies. But by taking them to a variety of [research] sites, they can get that data and there will be more certainty around it."
She added: "The possibility we could take a liquid biopsy, a blood sample, and see the cancer cells there, it might lead to early cancer detection, and that could transform treatment options."
I am praying for a cure, but, this could really, really help!!!!
Sue
0 -
Here's the CNN article...a
Here's the CNN article...a little more cautious...
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
* NEW: It will be at least five years before test is on the market, doctor says
* Johnson and Johnson and Massachusetts General Hospital have teamed up
* The test can be used as a diagnostic tool and in research
(CNN) -- Johnson and Johnson will partner with Massachusetts General Hospital to develop and market a blood test that could find a single cancer cell circulating in a person's blood, the company said Monday.
Researchers hope the test will be used by oncologists as a diagnostic tool aimed at discovering as early as possible if a cancer has spread, as well as by researchers in coming up with new drug therapies.
Dr. Mehmet Toner, director of the BioMicroElectroMechanical Systems Resource Center in Massachusetts General's Center for Engineering in Medicine, says while it will take at least five years before the test is on the market, it's another step toward personalized medicine and the implications for patients are significant. "It is very big. It has the potential to turn cancer into a chronic disease, because we can monitor patients individually and respond with treatment to the genetic makeup of their cancer."
Toner says the test is like a liquid biopsy and targets almost all solid cancers -- cancers found in "solid" organs like the breast or prostate. The cancer cells it finds would be analyzed and their genetic makeup determined, which would be useful in monitoring patients and targeting therapies to the individual.
Veridex, a Johnson and Johnson company, announced the partnership in a statement, saying it involves Ortho Biotech Oncology Research and Development, a unit of Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development.
"This new technology has the potential to facilitate an easy-to-administer, noninvasive blood test that would allow us to count tumor cells, and to characterize the biology of the cells," said Robert McCormack, Veridex's head of technology innovation and strategy. "Harnessing the information contained in these cells in an in-vitro clinical setting could enable tools to help select treatment and monitor how patients are responding."
Veridex launched the first commercial test using circulating tumor cell technology in 2004, the company said. It describes circulating tumor cells as cancer cells that have detached from a tumor and are found at very low levels in the bloodstream. Capturing and counting those cells can provide information to patients and doctors about prognoses with certain types of metastatic cancers, the statement said.
"The value of capturing and counting CTCs is evolving as more research data is gathered about the utility of these markers in monitoring disease progression and potentially guiding personalized cancer therapy," the Veridex statement said.
Toner said you are likely to find just one circulating tumor cell in 5 to 10 billion blood cells. In fact, a tube of blood taken during an annual exam would only have a few CTCs.
"The challenging goal of sorting extremely rare circulating tumor cells from blood requires continuous technological, biological and clinical innovation to fully explore the utility of these precious cells in clinical oncology," Toner said. "We have developed and continue to develop a broad range of technologies that are evolving what we know about cancer and cancer care."
The American Cancer Society said the new research is exciting, but it's important to remember it's just another step in the scientific process. "Researchers have been working on this and similar technologies for some time, and others have predicted a day when we will be able to diagnose cancers before they are otherwise visible by current techniques," said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, the group's deputy chief medical officer. "It is appropriate to view announcements such as the one today with enthusiasm, but recognize that we must temper that excitement with the realization that there is still much research to be done to determine the true impact of this test on the0 -
This is great news!! Thanks
This is great news!! Thanks for the info!0 -
It's raining good news today!!phoenixrising said:This is great news!! Thanks
This is great news!! Thanks for the info!
This got me VERY excited. Imagine, less "squeezograms",
more results. I LOVE it.
Ayse0 -
Finding The (Cancer Cell) Needle In the Haystack
http://www.cancer.org/AboutUs/DrLensBlog/post/2011/01/03/Finding-The-(Cancer-Cell)-Needle-In-the-Haystack-Will-It-Make-A-Difference-In-Cancer-Treatment-And-Early-Detection.aspx0 -
Thanks for posting the infoRitzy said:This is what I found...Very encouraging!
New blood test helps spot migrating cancer cells
A blood test that can detect cancer or determine whether a cancer has begun spreading to other parts of the body has moved a little closer to your doctor's office.
A blood test that can detect cancer or determine whether a cancer has begun spreading to other parts of the body has moved a little closer to your doctor's office.
Updated: Mon Jan. 03 2011 2:32:23 PM
CTV.ca News Staff
A blood test that can detect cancer or determine whether a cancer has begun spreading to other parts of the body has moved a little closer to your doctor's office.
Health care giant Johnson & Johnson announced Monday that two of its units will begin working with Boston researchers to bring the test to market. As well, four big U.S. cancer centers will start studies on the blood test this year.
The experimental test looks for stray cancer cells in the blood, which are cancer cells that have detached from a tumor and mean that a cancer has either spread, or is likely to. Left unchecked, these circulating cancer cells can grow into new tumors.
Circulating tumor cells are found at very low levels in the bloodstream and are hard to detect. While there is one test on the market that can spot cancer cells in the blood -- a test called CellSearch, also made by a J&J unit –- that current test can only give a cell count. It doesn't capture whole cells that doctors can then analyze to monitor disease progression and to choose treatments.
"This new technology has the potential to facilitate an easy-to-administer, non-invasive blood test that would allow us to count tumor cells, and to characterize the biology of the cells," said Robert McCormack, head of Technology Innovation and Strategy at Veridex, one of two J&J units -- Veridex and Ortho Biotech Oncology – collaborating on research on the blood test.
"Harnessing the information contained in these cells in an in vitro clinical setting could enable tools to help select treatment and monitor how patients are responding."
This newest test requires just a couple of teaspoons of blood, meaning patients might even be able to skip painful biopsies of cancer tumors.
Not only can the test detect cancer, it can be used to monitor treatment in already diagnosed patients.
The test is so sensitive that doctors can administer a cancer therapy one day and sample the patient's blood the next day to see if the circulating tumour cells are gone.
Ultimately, the test might also be able to go beyond screening for metastatic cancer to actually spotting primary cancer. That could one day mean that the test could replace uncomfortable cancer screening methods used now, such as mammograms, colonoscopies and PSA tests.
The test works with a microchip that is covered in tens of thousands of tiny bristle-like posts. The posts are coated with antibodies that bind to tumor cells.
When blood is forced across the chip, the cancer cells will stick to the posts. Stains then make the cells glow so researchers can count and capture them for study.
The test is said to be so sensitive that it can find even just one cancer cell in a billion or more healthy cells, said Mehmet Toner, a Harvard University bioengineer who helped design the test.
Studies of the chip have already been published in the journals Nature, the New England Journal of Medicine and Science Translational Medicine.
The agreement announced Monday will have Veridex and another J&J unit -- Ortho Biotech Oncology –- working together to improve the microchip, including trying a cheaper plastic to make it practical for mass production.
The companies will start a research center at Massachusetts General Hospital and will have rights to license the test from the hospital, which holds the patents.
Dr. Shana Kelley, a professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Science at the University of Toronto and an expert on molecular diagnostics, is part of a U of T team that's developing similar microchip technology that could one day help detect the proteins that are unique to specific cancers.
She says the field is seeing lots of promising developments.
"There is a lot of excitement around circulating tumor cells," she told CTV News. "But we don't have enough clinical data to be able to say whether or not we can use these as substitute of biopsies. But by taking them to a variety of [research] sites, they can get that data and there will be more certainty around it."
She added: "The possibility we could take a liquid biopsy, a blood sample, and see the cancer cells there, it might lead to early cancer detection, and that could transform treatment options."
I am praying for a cure, but, this could really, really help!!!!
Sue
Thanks for posting the info Sue. This is very, very exciting news.
I saw one of the researchers on the news and he said that J&J is funding this research because of funding from Stand Up to Cancer. I was surprised and pleased to hear that.
Liquid Biopsy0 -
wow, that's amazing! HopeRitzy said:This is what I found...Very encouraging!
New blood test helps spot migrating cancer cells
A blood test that can detect cancer or determine whether a cancer has begun spreading to other parts of the body has moved a little closer to your doctor's office.
A blood test that can detect cancer or determine whether a cancer has begun spreading to other parts of the body has moved a little closer to your doctor's office.
Updated: Mon Jan. 03 2011 2:32:23 PM
CTV.ca News Staff
A blood test that can detect cancer or determine whether a cancer has begun spreading to other parts of the body has moved a little closer to your doctor's office.
Health care giant Johnson & Johnson announced Monday that two of its units will begin working with Boston researchers to bring the test to market. As well, four big U.S. cancer centers will start studies on the blood test this year.
The experimental test looks for stray cancer cells in the blood, which are cancer cells that have detached from a tumor and mean that a cancer has either spread, or is likely to. Left unchecked, these circulating cancer cells can grow into new tumors.
Circulating tumor cells are found at very low levels in the bloodstream and are hard to detect. While there is one test on the market that can spot cancer cells in the blood -- a test called CellSearch, also made by a J&J unit –- that current test can only give a cell count. It doesn't capture whole cells that doctors can then analyze to monitor disease progression and to choose treatments.
"This new technology has the potential to facilitate an easy-to-administer, non-invasive blood test that would allow us to count tumor cells, and to characterize the biology of the cells," said Robert McCormack, head of Technology Innovation and Strategy at Veridex, one of two J&J units -- Veridex and Ortho Biotech Oncology – collaborating on research on the blood test.
"Harnessing the information contained in these cells in an in vitro clinical setting could enable tools to help select treatment and monitor how patients are responding."
This newest test requires just a couple of teaspoons of blood, meaning patients might even be able to skip painful biopsies of cancer tumors.
Not only can the test detect cancer, it can be used to monitor treatment in already diagnosed patients.
The test is so sensitive that doctors can administer a cancer therapy one day and sample the patient's blood the next day to see if the circulating tumour cells are gone.
Ultimately, the test might also be able to go beyond screening for metastatic cancer to actually spotting primary cancer. That could one day mean that the test could replace uncomfortable cancer screening methods used now, such as mammograms, colonoscopies and PSA tests.
The test works with a microchip that is covered in tens of thousands of tiny bristle-like posts. The posts are coated with antibodies that bind to tumor cells.
When blood is forced across the chip, the cancer cells will stick to the posts. Stains then make the cells glow so researchers can count and capture them for study.
The test is said to be so sensitive that it can find even just one cancer cell in a billion or more healthy cells, said Mehmet Toner, a Harvard University bioengineer who helped design the test.
Studies of the chip have already been published in the journals Nature, the New England Journal of Medicine and Science Translational Medicine.
The agreement announced Monday will have Veridex and another J&J unit -- Ortho Biotech Oncology –- working together to improve the microchip, including trying a cheaper plastic to make it practical for mass production.
The companies will start a research center at Massachusetts General Hospital and will have rights to license the test from the hospital, which holds the patents.
Dr. Shana Kelley, a professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Science at the University of Toronto and an expert on molecular diagnostics, is part of a U of T team that's developing similar microchip technology that could one day help detect the proteins that are unique to specific cancers.
She says the field is seeing lots of promising developments.
"There is a lot of excitement around circulating tumor cells," she told CTV News. "But we don't have enough clinical data to be able to say whether or not we can use these as substitute of biopsies. But by taking them to a variety of [research] sites, they can get that data and there will be more certainty around it."
She added: "The possibility we could take a liquid biopsy, a blood sample, and see the cancer cells there, it might lead to early cancer detection, and that could transform treatment options."
I am praying for a cure, but, this could really, really help!!!!
Sue
wow, that's amazing! Hope for the future, something we all need! Thanks for posting.0 -
This is exciting. I justphoenixrising said:This is great news!! Thanks
This is great news!! Thanks for the info!
This is exciting. I just wish it would be available now, but, it looks like years away for the majority of us. But, very hopeful.
Lex0
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