New Test for Cancer

[Myown]

PNAS EarlyEdition/AP
This undated image provided by PNAS Early Edition shows a circulating tumor cell cluster isolated using the HB-Chip from the blood of a patient with metastatic prostate cancer.
A new blood test so sensitive that it can spot a single cancer cell lurking among a billion healthy ones is one step closer to market, researchers will announce Monday.

The test for stray cancer cells could turn out to be an easy, painless and more efficient alternative to mammograms, colonoscopies and biopsies.

"There's a lot of excitement," said Dr. Mark Kris, lung cancer chief at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, one of four big cancer centers launching studies on the experimental test this year.

Cancer patients usually get a drug or radiation treatment and are then given a CT scan two months later to look for tumor shrinkage.

Most don't live long enough to try more than one or two treatments. But a blood test could gauge success in just a day, enabling doctors to pursue a successful treatment or quickly move on to something else.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2011/01/03/2011-01-03_cure_for_cancer_researchers_to_announce_new_blood_test_that_can_detect_single_ca.html#ixzz1ANv8dCkN

[Myown]

Yes testing for cancer, many times its missed as was the case with my Mother with her original biopsy. And that of course would make me wonder how often does that happen.
So any new way of testing that proves more accurate then just taking a few cells from a lump, well that sounds like good news..

But as far as cancer treatment itself - they definitely need to find something that is not as hard on the immune system. Its just crazy the way they have to practically kill someone with treatment and then hope the body comes back to life,- cancer free. Its just a rough treatment and for older people and children especially...

[ILADVOCATE]

  Yes that definitely is a real breakthrough. Hopefully this kind of improved and more efficient testing will be of help in how to treat cancer more effectively. Diagnostic testing as to what treatment would be beneficial is crucial in any area, especially cancer, given the window of opportunity as regards how effective various treatments will be.

[Myown]

AND alternative to mamograms a big plus. I will ask my hepatologist if something like this would be good to spot liver cancer. I don't see why it wouldn't be, but I'll see what he says.

[Myown]

This is definitely great news in that, as mentioned above, it can spot one cancer cell in a billion.