Exam detects cancer in inicial stage

Researchers of the american university Johns Hopkins were able to detect specific genetic fragments of cancer by blood test, in an attempt to make early diagnosis in a non-invasive way.

The study was published on wednesday at the Science Translational Medicine magazine and according to Victor Velculescu, oncology teacher at the Kimmel Center for Cancer of  Johns Hopkins University, and one of the authors of the study, it was possible to find  genetic mutations in the blood that can identify the cancer.

Scientists analyzed blood samples of 200 patients with cancer in several stages from the USA, Denmark and Holland. Using a genetic methodology known as “deep sequencing”, in which genes are read 30.000 times, they searched for mutations in 58 genes associated with breast, ovary, lung and colorectal cancer. The disease was identified in 86 of the 138 individuals who had cancer in early stages (stages 1 and 2).

Next, scientists analyzed the genoma of the tumors removed from 100 of 200 patients and,  in 82 of them, they found the same mutations found in the blood samples. As a control group, researchers analyzed the blood of 44 healthy individuals e did not find any mutations.

To read the full article in english: http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/9/403/eaan2415

Source: Veja magazine http://veja.abril.com.br/ciencia/novo-exame-de-sangue-pode-detectar-inicio-de-cancer-diz-estudo/