Lighting up cancel cells in the body

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Researchers are perfecting a technology that may help solve one of the most

vexing problems in cancer treatment: how to tell if cancer is spreading to other

parts of the body. After first injecting a person with a chemical that labels

specific types of cancer cells, doctors would then aim a laser at a vein near

the surface of the body (for example in the wrist), “lighting up” circulating

cancer cells. Unlike CT scans and MRI, the standard methods of detecting wayward

tumors, the laser is able to identify and count individual cancer cells. And

because it’s trained on a vein, the laser can monitor a large volume of blood,

making it a much more sensitive test than could be obtained by using a small

blood sample. Doctors hope the new laser technique will provide timely

information on the progression of a person’s cancer, allowing them to tailor

their treatment. A clinical trial is planned.

(From the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and the University of

Michigan) Living with Cancer Health monitor

FYI

Lottie