Revolutionary blood test could save lives with pancreatic cancer!

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest types of cancer because it is often not diagnosed until it is in advanced stages. In Germany, around 21,000 people develop this cancer every year, with almost 90 percent of those affected dying within five years of diagnosis. This makes the disease the type of cancer with the second highest mortality rate. Tumors often develop unnoticed and are usually only discovered when they have already metastasized, as Welt.de reports.

A new research team from ETH Zurich and Oregon Health & Science University has now developed an innovative blood test that has the potential to significantly improve the early detection of pancreatic cancer. The test is based on the identification of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), enzymes that are active in early tumor development. These MMPs allow tumors to move through healthy tissue.

How the blood test works

The researchers developed special sensors with magnetic nanoparticles that fluoresce when they come into contact with MMPs. When tested on 356 frozen blood samples, the test showed a detection accuracy of 73 percent in cancer patients and 98 percent in healthy people, with no confusion.

Nevertheless, it was determined that the 73 percent sensitivity needs to be improved before the test can be integrated into routine clinical practice. This is a crucial point because high accuracy in early diagnosis is essential to increase patients' chances of survival.

According to Kurier.at, the test could also be transferred to other types of cancer, while the cost is around one cent per test. This low-cost diagnostic option would be particularly valuable in resource-poor regions where access to high-quality medical tests is limited.