Deadly blood cancer can now be detected early with blood test: Study
Published in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine, the study was led by researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. The team focused their work on identifying early indicators of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), an age-related condition in which blood-forming stem cells fail to develop correctly. MDS is particularly dangerous as it can lead to severe anaemia and progress into acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), a fast-growing type of blood cancer prevalent among adults.
Currently, diagnosing MDS requires a painful and intrusive procedure — bone marrow sampling — which involves drilling into the pelvic bone under local anaesthesia. For many patients, especially older adults, this process is uncomfortable and distressing.
The new research offers a promising alternative. The scientists discovered that rare blood-forming stem cells, which occasionally escape from the bone marrow and circulate in the bloodstream, carry crucial genetic clues about the early development of MDS. Using advanced single-cell genetic sequencing techniques, the researchers successfully decoded the information contained within these rare cells — all from a routine blood draw.
One of the most remarkable findings was that these circulating stem cells not only provide early markers of disease but also appear to act as biological 'clocks' that reflect a person's chronological aging.
'These stem cells give us insights not only into early-stage disease but also into how aging progresses differently in men and women,' explained Dr. Nili Furer of the Weizmann Institute. 'We found that in males, the changes in these cells occur earlier than in females, potentially explaining the higher incidence of blood cancers among men.'
The study holds significant promise for the future of cancer diagnostics. By replacing an uncomfortable and invasive procedure with a simple blood test, early detection becomes more accessible and patient-friendly.
Furthermore, the researchers believe this breakthrough method could be adapted to detect other age-related blood disorders beyond MDS and AML. A large-scale international clinical trial is already underway to validate the effectiveness of the blood test across multiple medical centers worldwide.
If successful, this new method could pave the way for more accurate, less invasive, and earlier diagnoses of life-threatening blood cancers, ultimately improving outcomes and quality of life for countless patients.
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