Scientists have successfully developed a cancer diagnosis method that is 10,000 times more sensitive now

Diseases such as thyroid cancer, type 1 diabetes and HIV are often difficult to diagnose in the early stages of incubation. However, this problem will soon have a solution.

Stanford University researchers have developed a new technique to experiment with 10,000 times more sensitivity than the tests being applied. The authors published their study in Central Science magazine of the American Chemical Society.

The diagnosis of dangerous diseases can be carried out quickly in the early stages of incubation.

When we are sick with symptoms like colds or flu, or more serious diseases like cancer, our bodies produce chemicals called antibodies. The antibodies are easily found in blood or saliva.These antibodies are produced in response to antigens, which are chemicals in the immune system that detect and prevent foreign substances from invading the body.

Each antigen is compatible with specific antibodies. If the doctor knows the exact type of antibody, they can give specific information about the cause of the deterioration of the patient's health. The problem is that in the early stages of the disease, our immune system has not produced enough antibodies to detect. Usually, the patient is diagnosed with the disease only when the condition has progressed and symptoms appear.

Body antibody testing is a challenge because antibodies are actually a protein , as opposed to genetic information ; Peter Robinson, a Stanford graduate student, co-author of the study explained. Genetic information can be easily searched because scientists replicate DNA or RNA fragments millions of times so they can be easily detected. However, there is no quick and effective method to duplicate proteins such as antibodies and make them more rapid.

According to Robinson's method, he and his colleagues took part of the thyroid cancer antigen and added a specific piece of DNA to these antigens for use as a standard scale. Although they cannot duplicate proteins, they can duplicate DNA scales . The antibodies then enter the antigen, gathering all the DNA standards. After a series of chemical reactions, all DNA scales can be duplicated and a large number of DNA scales indicate the existence of antibodies. If someone is healthy, there will be no duplicated antibodies or DNA scales.

Instead of using complex methods, cancer diagnosis will be easier and safer for patients.

The researchers also realized that this test was 800 to 10,000 times more sensitive than the tests being used. This means we don't need too many antibodies and antigens to detect a disease. Most of the current tests - called immunoassays - use a method of finding a chemical that binds to antibodies, then run a series of tests to locate easily found chemicals.

The difference and superiority of this method of detecting cancer compared to other traditional methods is that there is no need for radiotherapy and it is possible to proceed at the hospital, Robinson said. Instead of taking two to three weeks to verify the diagnosis, this method only takes two to three hours. As planned, the new method will soon be deployed within the next two years.