New test methods help detect nasal cancer earlier

Within 3 months, we will be able to have a blood test that helps detect cancer for people at high risk.

Researchers have devised a new blood test that can detect traces of a virus associated with nasal cancer. This method can be applied in hospitals and clinics within the next 3 months.

Doctors say the method could allow early detection of remnant or recurrent nasal cancer - a worrying disease ranked eighth in the most popular and seventh in all Cancer types are highly fatal in most Singaporean men.

Dr. Tan Min-Han added: "We conducted a test on a piece of DNA of Epstein-Barr virus, also known as BamHI-W ; this virus was found in most patients with cancer. nose".

The senior senior researchers of the Department of Science and Technology and the Institute of Biotechnology and Research in Nanotechnology (IBN) say that what they are doing is like "telling the specific name of a material in a bowl of soup which has a lot of ingredients in it ".

When Epstein-Barr virus is detected, it means that the patient is at risk of cancer.

(From left) Team Leader - the main research scientist of this experiment - Mr. Tan Min-Han, laboratory staff member Jess Vo, senior research scientist Hu Min, IBN executive director - Ms. Jackie Ying and the High-Level Trial Staff.

Determination of cancer

Explaining how this blood test works, Dr. Tan Min-Han stated: "Examining blood to detect pathogens is just like you are trying to know specifically what the dish is. The soup you are eating is cooked by exactly what ingredients or what ingredients it has. "

Blood tests were conducted on 46 patients with nasal cancer at the Singapore National Cancer Center, and the virus was detected 89% during the test period.

This method outperforms other blood tests, specifically 89% versus 67% to 85% when it comes to cancer cell detection percentage. These tests select an Epstein-Barr virus gene called EBNA1 .

A single cell in the Epstein-Barr virus has many copies of BamHI-W but only one version of EBNA1, which makes it easier to detect BamHI-W, so blood tests are much more sensitive. much "- said Jess Vo, a laboratory worker participating in this study.

The results were published in the prestigious International Scientific Report , "Scientific Reports" last month. This technology has recently been patented and is being commercialized. The team predicts that the method could be used in clinics in three months.

Nasal cancer is the most common form of cancer of the head and neck cancers in Singapore with about 350 to 400 cases diagnosed each year. Cancer mainly occurs in men between the ages of 35 and 55. It is difficult to detect because the disease has no obvious symptoms.

Often, patients only go to the clinic when there is frequent nosebleed, and are often diagnosed when the cancer has advanced.

Dr Lim Chwee Ming, consultant at the Department of Oncology Surgery (head and neck) at the National Cancer Institute of Singapore, said the number of BamHI-W was detected through blood tests after cancer treatment. The letter can help therapists decide whether or not the patient needs more chemotherapy after the primary treatment or initial treatment to destroy the remaining cancer cells, the cells that do not digest. kill all.

Blood tests can also be a useful tool to help detect people at high risk of developing nasal cancer, such as those with a family history of the disease, he added.

The IBN team is evaluating the effectiveness of blood tests in acting as a disease detection tool for future studies.

Commenting on this research effort, Dr Tan Wu Meng, a consultant at Parkway Cancer Center, said: "This test provides us with another tool to evaluate progress. disease development of patients, and we expect to receive further confirmation of the effectiveness of this method in the coming months ".