A major breakthrough in the fight against cancer has been announced by a collaborative team of researchers from the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM), Keele University, and Loughborough University. They have developed a groundbreaking and highly sensitive blood test capable of detecting a single lung cancer cell circulating in a patient's bloodstream.
The Science Behind the Simple Test
The innovative technique is based on Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy. In simple terms, scientists shine a powerful beam of infrared light onto a blood sample. Every type of cell absorbs this light in a unique way, creating a distinct chemical signature or 'fingerprint'. Cancer cells have a different fingerprint compared to healthy blood cells.
By combining this advanced scanning with sophisticated computer analysis, the research team can rapidly identify the presence of circulating tumour cells (CTCs). These are cells that have broken away from the original tumour and entered the blood, potentially spreading cancer to other parts of the body.
A Landmark Detection with Huge Potential
In their landmark study, the scientists successfully tested a blood sample from a 77-year-old lung cancer patient treated at UHNM. The technology pinpointed a solitary cancer cell among thousands of healthy ones, a result later confirmed by independent specialist testing.
Professor Josep Sulé-Suso, Associate Specialist in Oncology at UHNM and the study's lead author, highlighted the transformative potential. "This approach has the potential to help patients receive earlier diagnoses, personalised treatments, and fewer invasive procedures," he stated. He further added that the method could eventually be applied to many types of cancer beyond lung cancer.
Why This New Method is a Game-Changer
Current methods for detecting CTCs are often expensive, complex, and time-consuming. Furthermore, as these cells change during their journey through the bloodstream, many existing tests can miss them entirely.
The new FT-IR method offers a simpler, potentially faster, and more accessible alternative. It provides a non-invasive 'liquid biopsy' that can reveal crucial information about how a cancer is developing, whether a treatment is working, and the risk of the disease spreading.
The findings of this promising study have been published in the peer-reviewed Applied Spectroscopy journal, paving the way for further research and clinical trials to bring this technology to patients.
