Catalunya oncologists discover blood test for diagnosing strains of lung cancer
Tuesday, March 24, 2015 @ 11:03 AM
A SIMPLE blood test may be enough to diagnose lung cancer and police its progress during treatment, thanks to research by the Catalunya Oncology Institute (ICO).
Dr Rafael Rosell says this is a major step forward in tackling a disease which is rarely caught at an early and sufficiently treatable stage, and will eliminate the need for numerous biopsies to confirm diagnosis and assess medication needs.
Three laboratories have taken part in the research - the Biomedical Investigation Institute of Bellvitge (IDIBELL) at the ICO's centre in L'Hospitalet, the Germans Trias Institute (IGTP) in Badalona - both of these in the province of Barcelona - and the Biomedical Investigation Institute in Girona (IDIBGi).
According to Dr Rosell, major advances have been made in treating lung cancer, among other types, with methods of analysing the type of tumour meaning drug therapy can be tailored to the individual.
For example, lung cancer patients who show mutations of the gene EFGR respond well to inhibitors of the same, such as Erlotinib, which has become the drug of choice in these cases.
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