Sources: Stefan Bossmann, 785-532-6817, sbossman@k-state.edu;
and Deryl Troyer, 785-532-4509, troyer@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Greg Tammen, 785-532-4486, gtammen@k-state.edu
Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012
University researchers develop blood test that accurately detects early stages of lung, breast 1xbet online casino in humans
MANHATTAN -- Researchers at Kansas State University have developed a simple blood test that can accurately detect the beginning stages of 1xbet online casino .
In less than an hour, the test can detect breast 1xbet online casino and non-small cell lung 1xbet online casino -- the most common type of lung 1xbet online casino -- before symptoms like coughing and weight loss start. The researchers anticipate testing for the early stages of pancreatic 1xbet online casino shortly.
The test was developed by Stefan Bossmann, professor of chemistry, and Deryl Troyer, professor of anatomy and physiology. Both are also researchers affiliated with Kansas State University's Johnson 1xbet online casino Research Center and the University of Kansas 1xbet online casino Center. Gary Gadbury, professor of statistics at Kansas State University, helped analyze the data from tests with lung and breast 1xbet online casino patients. The results, data and analysis were recently submitted to the Kansas Bio Authority for accelerated testing.
"We see this as the first step into a new arena of investigation that could eventually lead to improved early detection of human cancers," Troyer said. "Right now the people who could benefit the most are those classified as at-risk for 1xbet online casino , such as heavy smokers and people who have a family history of 1xbet online casino . The idea is these at-risk groups could go to their physician's office quarterly or once a year, take an easy-to-do, noninvasive test, and be told early on whether 1xbet online casino has possibly developed."
The researchers say the test would be repeated a short time later. If 1xbet online casino is confirmed, diagnostic imaging could begin that would otherwise not be routinely pursued.
According to the American 1xbet online casino Society, an estimated 39,920 breast 1xbet online casino deaths and 160,340 lung 1xbet online casino deaths are expected in the U.S. in 2012.
With the exception of breast 1xbet online casino , most types of 1xbet online casino can be categorized in four stages based on tumor growth and the spread of 1xbet online casino cells throughout the body. Breast and lung 1xbet online casino are typically found and diagnosed in stage 2, the stage when people often begin exhibiting symptoms such as pain, fatigue and coughing. Numerous studies show that the earlier 1xbet online casino is detected, the greater chance a person has against the disease.
"The problem, though, is that nobody knows they're in stage 1," Bossmann said. "There is often not a red flag to warn that something is wrong. Meanwhile, the person is losing critical time."
The test developed by Kansas State University's Bossmann and Troyer works by detecting increased enzyme activity in the body. Iron nanoparticles coated with amino acids and a dye are introduced to small amounts of blood or urine from a patient. The amino acids and dye interact with enzymes in the patient's blood. Each type of 1xbet online casino produces a specific enzyme pattern, or signature, that can be identified by doctors.
"These enzyme patterns can also help distinguish between 1xbet online casino and an infection or other diseases that commonly occur in the human body," Bossmann said. "For example, a person who smokes a lot of cigars may develop an inflammation in their lungs. That will drive up some of the markers in the test but not all of them. Doctors will be able to see whether there was too much smoke inhalation or if there is something more serious going on. False-positives are something that we really want to avoid."
Once the test is administered, comprehensive results -- which include enzyme patterns -- are produced in roughly 60 minutes.
Bossmann and Troyer have designed a second testing method that is anticipated to produce the same results in about five minutes. The team recently received 5,000 in funding for this project from the National Science Foundation's Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems.
In addition to early detection, researchers say the test can be tweaked to monitor 1xbet online casino . For example, patients being treated with drugs can be observed for drug effectiveness. Similarly, doctors can use the dye in the test to determine if the entirety of a tumor has been successfully removed from a patient after surgery.
Researchers evaluated the test's accuracy on 32 separate participants in various stages of breast or lung 1xbet online casino . Data was collected from 20 people with breast 1xbet online casino -- ranging in age from 36 to 81 years old -- and 12 people with lung 1xbet online casino -- ranging in age from 27 to 63 years old.
Twelve people without 1xbet online casino were also tested as a control group. This group ranged in age from 26 to 62 years old.
A blood sample from each participant was tested three times. Analysis of the data showed a 95 percent success rate in detecting 1xbet online casino in participants, including those with breast 1xbet online casino in stages 0 and 1 and those with lung 1xbet online casino in stages 1 and 2.
Tests detecting for pancreatic 1xbet online casino are anticipated to begin in October as part of Bossmann and Troyer's collaboration with Dr. Stephen Williamson at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Blood samples from triple-negative breast 1xbet online casino patients will be tested this fall in collaboration with Dr. Priyanka Sharma, who is also at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Funding for the study -- titled "Functionalized Bimagnetic Core/Shell Fe/FE3O4 Stealth Nanoparticles for Diag & Treatment 1xbet online casino " -- was originally provided through a subcontract of a National Institutes of Health phase II Small Business Innovation Research grant to NanoScale Corp., a Manhattan-based company that manufactures, markets and commercializes advanced products and technologies, and by the Johnson 1xbet online casino Rsearch Center at Kansas State University. A Small Business Innovation Research grant is awarded to small businesses with a university partner for the purpose of accelerating research to enter the commercial marketplace.
