
Artistic render. Image credit: Steve Alvey, Michigan Engineering
Invasive procedures to biopsy tissue from cancer-tainted organs could be replaced by simply taking samples from a tiny “decoy” implanted just beneath the skin, University of Michigan researchers have demonstrated in mice.
These devices have a knack for attracting cancer cells traveling through the body. In fact, they can even pick up signs that cancer is preparing to spread, before cancer cells arrive.
“Biopsying an organ like the lung is a risky procedure that’s done only sparingly,” said Lonnie Shea, the William and Valerie Hall Chair of biomedical engineering at U-M. “We place these scaffolds right under the skin, so they’re readily accessible.”
The ease of access would also allow doctors to monitor the effectiveness of cancer treatments closer to real time.
The U-M team’s most recent work appears in Cancer Research, a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Biopsies of the scaffold allowed researchers to analyze 635 genes present in the captured cancer cells. From these genes, the team identified ten that could predict whether a mouse was healthy, if it had a cancer that had not begun to spread yet, or if a cancer was present and had begun to spread. They could do that all without the need for an invasive biopsy of an organ.
The gene expression obtained at the scaffold had distinct patterns relative to cells from the blood, which are obtained through a technique known as liquid biopsy. These differences highlight that the tissue in these traps provides unique information that correlates with disease progression.
The researchers have demonstrated that the synthetic scaffolds work with multiple types of cancers in mice, including pancreatic cancer. They work by luring immune cells, which, in turn, attract cancer cells.
“When we started off, the idea was that we would biopsy the scaffold and look for tumor cells that had followed the immune cells there,” Shea said. “But we realized that by analyzing the immune cells that gather first, we can detect the cancer before it’s spreading.”
In treating cancer, early detection is key.
“Currently, early signs of metastasis can be difficult to detect,” said Jacqueline Jeruss, an associate professor of surgery and biomedical engineering and a co-author of the study. “Imaging may be done once a patient experiences symptoms, but that implies the number of cancer cells may already be substantial. Improved detection methods are needed to identify metastasis at a point when targeted treatments can have a significant beneficial impact on slowing disease progression.”
The immune cells allowed researchers to identify whether treatments were effective in the mice and which subjects were sensitive or resistant to treatment.
The decoy’s ability to draw immune and cancer cells can also bolster the treatment itself. In previous research, the devices demonstrated an ability to slow the growth of metastatic breast cancer tumors in mice, by reducing the number of cancer cells that can reach those tumors.
In the future, Shea envisions that the scaffolds could be outfitted with sensors and Bluetooth technology that could deliver information in real time without the need for a biopsy.
Learn more: Implantable cancer traps could provide earlier diagnosis, help monitor treatment
The Latest on: Biopsies
via Google News
The Latest on: Biopsies
- Expert Explains Why He Uses BV Plus AVD Instead of BEACOPP in Hodgkin Lymphomaon February 27, 2021 at 5:18 am
During a Targeted Oncology Case-Based Roundtable, Andrew M. Evens, DO, MSc, discussed testing and treatment for a 22-year-old patient with Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Liquid biopsy could guide therapy for colorectal canceron February 25, 2021 at 11:54 am
Liquid biopsies can gauge the effectiveness of therapy for colorectal cancer that has begun to spread beyond the original tumor, researchers report.
- Pinal County mourns K9 Officer Nico after humanely euthanizedon February 24, 2021 at 3:31 pm
According to PCSO, K9 Nico, a 6.5-year-old Belgian Malinois, reportedly had developed masses in his lungs and other organs. The canine was awaiting the results of biopsies done in order to determine ...
- Twist Bioscience Launches Industry-Leading NGS Methylation Detection System for Liquid Biopsy Cancer Analysis and Epigenetic Studieson February 24, 2021 at 5:00 am
Twist Bioscience Corporation, a company enabling customers to succeed through its offering of high-quality synthetic DNA using its silicon platform, today announced the launch of the Twist NGS ...
- An end to invasive biopsies?on February 23, 2021 at 11:06 pm
Nobody enjoys getting a biopsy, where a tissue sample is surgically taken and analyzed in a lab for signs of disease such as cancer. It’s not only unpleasant for the patient, but also has clinical ...
- Do gluten-free diets provide a cure-all for celiac disease?on February 23, 2021 at 10:18 am
A new study provides insights into the curative effects of gluten-free diets in celiac patients. Results from the proteomics-based research suggests not.
- "Enough Biopsies! I Took On Prostate Cancer with Research"on February 23, 2021 at 7:43 am
One of your neighbors posted in Neighbor News. Click through to read what they have to say. (The views expressed in this post are the author’s own.) ...
- Global Breast Biopsies Market Demand, In depth Analysis And Estimated Revenue Forecast Till 2025on February 22, 2021 at 9:45 pm
Pune, Maharashatra, February 23 2021 (Wiredrelease) Kay Dee Market Insights Private Limited –:The research report on the global Breast Biopsies Market provides detailed analysis of market sizing and ...
- Treatment of brain tumour: Researchers perform 3D biopsies of glioblastomaon February 21, 2021 at 10:09 pm
In the latest development, researchers have been able to conduct 3D biopsies of glioblastoma, an aggressive type of cancer that develops in the brain or spinal cord, which could lead to better ...
- 3-D biopsies to better understand brain tumorson February 19, 2021 at 9:57 am
Researchers at the Institut de Neurociències of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (INc-UAB) obtained a highly accurate recreation of human glioblastoma's features using a novel 3-D ...
via Bing News