Get a quick check for liver cancer anywhere

Researchers at the University of Utah, USA have developed a screening test to detect liver cancer markers quickly that can be done anywhere ...

One of the biggest challenges in liver cancer treatment is that symptoms do not appear until the disease is near the end, so it is important for people to be checked quickly when doctors suspect. they may have liver cancer. However, liver cancer testing often requires a blood sample to be sent to a hospital laboratory, which can take several weeks for results. Screening for liver cancer also often requires the patient to undergo imaging, which is very difficult for people living in remote areas.

This prompted researchers at the University of Utah to design a liver cancer screening device, based on a technique called surface-enhanced Raman scattering, that could be done anywhere. and deliver results within minutes. The test is designed to detect biological markers of liver cancer in drops of blood, saliva, or urine. "The concept is similar to a home pregnancy quickstick test," said Jennifer Granger, a research participant at home. The test consisted of a small, domino-sized plastic stick containing a small film, passing a test sample. the patient's test reaches the membrane, and the biological markers will show signs of liver cancer, if any. Next, the doctor adds a drop of gold nanoparticles attached to the biological protein, causing a red change in the membrane. , this signals that the patient may be ill.

A hand held spectrophotometer can be used to accurately identify biological markers that cause liver cancer and provide data on the severity of the disease. The team is working to get the cost down to about $ 3 per liver cancer test.

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Translator: Dr. Nguyen Huu Tung & partner