An early warning system for cancer
A new screening tool developed by scientists in Denmark can help detect the early stages of cancer, harnessing the body's own defenses. These are agents that attack the body's own tissue, targeting what they perceive as "foreign" cells, such as specific molecules found on the surface of tumors.
The researchers found that, in a limited number of blood samples, the screening test could detect cancer-associated antibodies in patients with a recent diagnosis of prostate, breast and ovarian cancer. Healthy individuals did not show signs of immunological agents in the blood. Their results, published in the journal Cancer Research, suggest that autoantibodies could be effective biomarkers for early cancer development.
Source: Technology Review
