A study, published in journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, revealed that microRNA molecules in the blood of people with lung cancer could detect the disease and rate its aggressiveness.
Lead investigator Dr Carlo M Croce explained: “We found patterns of abnormal microRNAs in the plasma of people with lung cancer and showed that it might be possible to use these patterns to detect lung cancer in a blood sample.”
In other news, a blood test could be used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Scientists have classified a unique biochemical diagnosis able to identify cancer, based on the production of dehydroepiandrosterone.
The test also enabled differential diagnosis of early Alzheimer’s disease, indicating that the blood test could be used to identify the condition in its early stages.
Written by Angela Newbury