Leukemia risk can be detected early with blood test: study
JERUSALEM, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Researchers have found that a simple blood test can detect a person's risk of developing leukemia, said a statement issued by Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science on Friday.
In a new study, published in Nature Medicine, a team of Israeli and U.S. researchers suggested that this test may replace the current more invasive method of bone marrow sampling used to diagnose certain blood cancers.
The research focused on myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), an age-related condition in which blood-forming stem cells do not develop properly.
MDS can lead to severe anemia and may progress to acute myeloid leukemia, one of the most common types of blood cancer in adults.
Currently, diagnosing MDS requires the bone marrow sampling procedure that involves local anesthesia and can cause significant discomfort and pain.
The team discovered that rare stem cells, which occasionally leave the bone marrow and enter the bloodstream, carry crucial information about early signs of MDS.
Using advanced single-cell genetic sequencing, they were able to analyze these cells from a standard blood sample and detect warning signs of disease.
The researchers also found that these circulating stem cells can act like a biological "clock," offering insights into a person's chronological age.
In men, these cells change earlier than in women, which may help explain why blood cancers are more common in males.
The researchers believe this blood test may also help identify other age-related blood disorders in the future.
The Weizmann Institute of Science noted that the findings are being tested in a large-scale clinical trial at multiple medical centers worldwide.
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