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Good research. Your link did not take me directly to the story, so I am
trying to do a cut and paste to bring the story here. Again, this story
is from London Sunday Times dated May 25, 1997. Thankyou to Celeryroot.
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May 25 1997BRITAINÿ
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New test finds cancer years before it kills
by Lois Rogers
Medical Correspondent
SCIENTISTS believe they have developed a test for cancer that can detect the disease in samples of body fluids years before it becomes fatal.The early diagnosis from samples of mucus or urine could save thousands of lives by enabling them to receive treatment long before serious symptoms emerge. More than 160,000 people die every year from cancer in Britain, with œ2.4 billion spent annually on caring for sufferers.
The test, which could be available to doctors within two years, is at present on trial in research centres around the world, including laboratories in Britain. If successful, it will enable people at increased risk of cancer, such as smokers, to monitor themselves for early evidence of the disease..
The technology works by detecting an enzyme called telomerase, which studies have found in virtually all "immortal" cancer cells. Immortal cells are those that have somehow regained the ability of foetal cells to multiply unchecked. When this happens in later life it leads to the growth of cancerous tumours.
Researchers believe the test, which is so sensitive it can detect one cell containing abnormal telomerase in millions of normal ones, is one of the most important advances in tackling cancer for many years.
In addition to screening for cancer, it will also provide an invaluable indicator of how effectively drug treatment is killing malignant cells in existing cancers. "We are on the brink of the very early detection of cancer cells and detection of cancer recurrence," said David Tarin, of Oxford University's cancer diagnostics research laboratory.
The test kits are being used to investigate a variety of cancer tumours including breast, bowel, liver and bladder as well as lung malignancies.
The test has to be performed on cells from the part of the body being investigated for cancer. Research has shown that it can detect cancers of the bladder, prostate and digestive tract from samples of bodily waste. Mouth, throat and lung cancers can be identified by saliva and mucus samples, while tumours of the breast, liver and other internal organs can be tested using cells obtained by drawing a small sample into a fine needle.
Rob Newbold, professor of cancer genetics at Brunel University, is investigating whether telomerase testing could improve the accuracy of the much-criticised national cervical screening programme.
An unpublished study of 50 normal smear test results and 50 abnormal ones found seven of those diagnosed as abnormal showed telomerase activity. The others were negative.
"People should be excited about this," said Newbold, who has also identified a gene involved in the production of telomerase. "If you assume that cancer cells have to be immortal, as I have for many years, then the presence of telomerase is essential."
Critics argue that early testing may not confer any benefits. "We would need evidence to show that early detection of cancer made you live longer than you would otherwise have done," said Nick Wald, professor of environmental and preventive medicine at Bart's hospital in London.
Much of the research work in Britain is being supported by the Cancer Research Campaign, but rights to the test kit, which was invented in Texas, are owned by Geron Corporation of California.
Kevin Kaster, spokesman for Geron, said the company will initially seek licensing approval for the kit as a way of monitoring for the recurrence of a cancer in a patient. However, he said: "We are eager to develop it as a screening kit because that is the biggest potential market, so we want to make it as easy to use as possible."
Cancer is largely a disease of old age. If the kit does lead to a radical reduction in the death toll from cancer, it could lead to a sharp increase in the number of elderly - although, with age, they remain more susceptible than younger people to other fatal diseases.
Mike Fossel, professor of medicine at Michigan State University, who has worked with Geron, said the kit could only mean good news: "If you extend healthy lifespan you extend working life, improve the value of individual lives and expand the economy."
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