Two Bio-science Companies United to Help in the Diagnosis of Lung Cancer

Bioview will develop in automated cancer screening system to carry out Abbott Molecular's lung cancer diagnostic test.

Cancer screening company BioView Ltd. (TASE:BIOV) has signed a cooperation agreement with Abbott Molecular Inc., under which Bioview will develop in automated cancer screening system to carry out Abbott's lung cancer diagnostic test.

Abbott Molecular's current test to distinguish between different kinds of lung cancer, in order to provide the proper treatment, is carried out manually by a laboratory technician. Automating the test will save time and effort, and improve accuracy.

BioView has already applied its technology to other Abbott Molecular tests for breast and bladder cancer. Each time that these tests were approved, they boosted BioView's sales by millions of dollars.

Under the new collaboration, the two companies will jointly conduct clinical trials of the automated lung cancer test in order to certify it for marketing in the US. Abbott's manual test is already certified by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The companies estimate that this process will take several months.

Lung Cancer: Molecular Tumor Testing Video

http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000801966&fid=1725

New Biomarkers Have Been Developed to Help Monitor Cancer Treaments

Biomarkers are used in helping oncologists to diagnose several types of cancer. They are also used to monitor chemotherapy and radiation treatment in order for the doctor to know if they are killing the cancer cells. New biomarkers have been developed to provide more options in helping the different areas of oncology to treat patients.    

http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/blog/BizNext/2012/10/lee-biosolutions-expands-cancer-marker.html

Lee Biosolutions Inc. has expanded its line of biomarkers to include products used to track epithelial ovarian cancer, breast cancer and liver cancer.

Based in Brentwood, Lee Biosolutions collects biological materials — human saliva, semen, urine and vaginal secretions, among others — and produces finished proteins, enzymes, biologicals, immuno-reagents and antibodies for life science research and clinical diagnostic testing. The company’s core business is diagnostic and Lee Biosolutions sells proteins and enzymes to research labs like the Cleveland Clinic and pharmaceutical companies such as Abbott Laboratories.

Lee Biosolutions has developed a proprietary process to purify and test for novel cancer biomarkers. In addition to the new biomarkers, the company is expanding its production of the other biomarkers in its lineup.

Earlier this year, the company said it had developed a unique process for purifying the prostate cancer tumor marker PSA.

"We continue to increase supply of CA 19-9 which often is used with patients with pancreatic cancer, CEA tumor marker that helps predict the outlook in patients with colorectal cancer and CA 72-4 which is now used in ovarian, pancreatic cancer and cancers starting in the digestive tract," said Burton Lee, president of the company. "Current research has identified CYFRA 21-1 used as a marker for non-small cell lung cancer and Lee Biosolutions has increased supply of Beta 2 Microglobuilnwhich is used as a marker for multiple myelomas and chronic lymphocytic leukemia."

The products are raw finished proteins that are used in formulations in invitro diagnostic products and research.

Lee Biosolutions had revenue of $6 million last year.                                         

A New Lab Test Detecting Early Stage of Breast Cancer

What would it mean to women to know that a lab test was available to detect early breast cancer in conjunction with a mammogram?  This would definitely give them confidence that the report is very accurate.

Breast cancer is the fear of most women because it is the number one cause of cancer death in this population

Great news has opened up for detecting a protein that is on the surface of breast cancer cells. The name of the protein is Nodal.

In the new research, the scientists monitored a group of laboratory mice that were designed to serve as models of breast cancer. Once the disease manifested itself, the researchers experimented by turning off expression of Nodal, a protein that is normally found on stem cells but also exists on the surface of breast cancer cells. Shutting down this protein caused the blood vessels that nourished the tumors to collapse, depriving the malignant tissue of the resources it needs to survive.

"Ultimately it would be nice to target Nodal in patients who already have quite advanced, well-vascularized tumors as a new option for therapy," said lead study author Daniela Quail. "Currently, patients like this don't have many options."

In the U.S., more than 228,000 individuals will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, according to the National Cancer Institute. A lab test may help with early detection.

This video above explains the new Nodal discovery and how this information will be used to shut down aggressive breast cancer.

http://www.privatemdlabs.com/blood-testing-news/Breast/Scientists-find-new-potential-target-for-breast-cancer$800833561.php

Platinum-Over-Silver Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon Charm Bracelet (Google Affiliate Ad)

Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Have a Higher Risk of Developing Cancer

Persons with rheumatoid arthritis have daily struggles with severe pain and movement. Another serious downfall of the disorder is that these patients are more susceptible to develop cancer.

The association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and cancer is not completely clear. Some studies show an increased risk of cancer in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) while others show a decreased risk. But the picture becomes clearer when researchers look at specific cancer types.
Lymphoma. The strongest evidence of a link appears to be between lymphoma -- the most common type of blood cancer -- and severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Researchers from Sweden examined data from nearly 75,000 RA patients, 378 of whom had lymphoma. The researchers assessed risk for three different levels of disease activity (low, moderate, and severe) and found that people with moderate disease activity were eight times more likely to have lymphoma than those who had low disease activity, while those with severe disease activity were 70 times more likely.
More support for a connection comes from a review of 21 published studies, including the Swedish study and 13 others that tried to determine whether there was a link between lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The findings, reported recently in Arthritis Research & Therapy,showed that overall, people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were twice as likely as the general population to develop lymphoma, particularly Hodgkin's lymphoma (one of the most curable types of cancer when detected early).
Lung cancer. The same review also reported that lung cancer was observed more often in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Based on data from 12 studies, people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were 63% more likely to develop lung cancer than the general population.
Cancer at other sites. In addition, the authors of the review reported a potentially reduced risk of colorectal cancer among people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) -- possibly due to their increased use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and COX-2 inhibitors. The researchers also reported a slightly reduced risk of breast cancer.
What's Behind the Link? An important question that remains unanswered is whether people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are more prone to develop certain cancers than others or if the medications they take could be responsible for the increased risk.
In the Swedish study, more than 70% of people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had taken traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, or DMARDs, such as methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall). However, the only DMARD linked to an increased risk of lymphoma was azathioprine (Imuran) -- a treatment that is rarely used today. There was also no link between NSAIDs like aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil and others).
One encouraging finding was that people who frequently used corticosteroids for inflamed joints had a lower risk of lymphoma, a result that suggests anti-inflammatory drugs could possibly protect against lymphoma.

Kimme L. Hyrich,M.D.,Arthritis Research UK Epidemiology Unit at University of Manchester discusses the risk of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

All RA patients should be regularly tested for cancer.  All health care professionals should be aware of this risk and write orders so they can be screened. If you know anyone with RA please ask and encourage them to be tested.  Early detection can save a life.

http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/arthritis/3308-1.html

New Biomarkers Tests for Ovarian Cancer

Great new article about new biomarker testing at the end of this year concerning ovarian cancer. Every woman needs to read this to educate yourself and share with others about what is involved with this life threatening cancer.

Autotelic Lab, Fountain Valley, a developer of quantitative rapid tests, announced today that it will be presenting a poster “The Hormones BNP and FSH in Ovarian Cancer: Potential as Diagnostic Biomarkers” at ENDO 2012. Ovarian cancer accounts for approximately 3 percent of all cancers in women and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death among women in the United States. Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality of all cancers of the female reproductive system. This reflects, in part, a lack of early symptoms and effective ovarian cancer screening tests. Thus, ovarian cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, after the cancer has spread beyond the ovary. Cancer Antigen 125 (CA125, aka Mucin16) is overproduced by ovarian cancer cells; however, it cannot be used as a diagnostic biomarker for ovarian cancer as it can be absent when disease is present, or levels can be high when no disease or no malignant disease exists. Serial changes in CA125 levels, if elevated, however, can be useful in assessment of disease status and progression. Ovarian epithelial cancer is more common in individuals with elevated Gonadotropin-releasing hormones (GnRH) including Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) such as postmenopausal women or women who have received treatment to induce ovulation. Conversely, reduced risk of ovarian cancer is associated with a history of multiple pregnancies, breastfeeding, oral contraceptive use, and estrogen replacement therapy, all of which are related to lower levels of and reduced exposure to FSH and LH. FSH regulates gene expression in ovarian tumors and causes neovascularization of ovarian cancers by increasing Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) expression through upregulation of survivin. We therefore examined FSH levels in relation to CA125 as potential diagnostic marker for ovarian cancer using a quantitative point-of-care device for FSH that was recently developed for therapeutic drug monitoring. The surprising potential of FSH and/or Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) as diagnostic biomarkers for ovarian cancer will be presented.

These tests are performed on serum from a blood draw. It usually take a few days to get the results,but are very informative for the oncologist as far as plan of treatment.

                                  An Inspiring Story of a woman (physician) Diagnosed With Ovarian

Cancerhttp://news.topwirenews.com/2012/06/23/fsh-and-bnp-as-potential-diagnostic-biomarker-for-ovarian-cancer/%

Protocol In Place For Pediatric Cancer Patients Arrival to E.R.

Parents of children with cancer will be pleased that pre-arrival protocol has been placed in some Emergency Departments to shorten the time for the pediatric patient. Children with cancer can easily have fevers that need to be addressed due to a compromised immune system because of chemotherapy. Parents are already very stressed due to what it is required dealing with all the scheduled treatments at cancer centers. They do not need to have deal with a long wait when they sense that their child is seriously ill.

Recent news of a plans in place for every pediatric patient diagnosed with cancer.
By implementing a standardized referral notification to the ED physician and charge nurse, using a standardized electronic health-record-based referral checklist with patient-specific information, and using a standardized order set for laboratory tests and antibiotics at the time of referral, investigators reduced the median time to antibiotic administration by almost an hour, according to Evaline Alessandrini, MD, MSCE, from the division of emergency medicine at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and professor of pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio.

Dr. Evaline Alessandrini

Dr. Alessandrini explained that the timely delivery of antibiotics to febrile children with cancer presented an opportunity to test elements of the Chronic Care Model related to health systems and to the organization of healthcare. Previsit planning is a critical part of chronic disease management. Specifically, delivery system design, decision support, clinical information systems, and a prepared practice team lend themselves to the development of a prearrival plan.
Our data demonstrated that the largest gaps in care are between ED arrival and the time that orders for antibiotics are written, Dr. Alessandrini explained. "We planned to close the gap by ordering the antibiotics before the patient arrived in the ED."
For trauma alerts, roles are assigned and equipment and medications prepared before the patient arrives. "Our goal was to transfer these activities to the ED during the management of acute exacerbations of chronic disease," she said.

The researchers wanted to reduce the time from patient arrival to the administration of antibiotics for pediatric cancer and bone marrow transplantation patients with fever from 140 minutes to less than 90 minutes. The setting was an urban tertiary-care children's hospital ED. The hospital has a high-volume oncology and bone marrow transplantation service that sees febrile patients in its clinic during weekday daytime hours. At other times, the children are seen in the ED. Because all of the children are immunosuppressed, there is no reason to wait for a complete blood count before giving antibiotics.

This plan has reduced time in the Emergency Department for about 100 minutes.

For more info: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/763467

New Cervical Cancer Screening to Hit World Wide Market

This new cervical cancer screening still involves a pap smear,but it reduces the number of false positives in the result of testing. There is also other changes that make the screening more cost effective.

Biodis is the name of this biotechnology distributor that will launch their new product to many countries of the world. Citofem is the name of the actual test.

"There are only two major pap smear products on the market today, now with Citofem(R), there is a third. This Pap test kit however, offers the highest sensitivity at the lowest price, making this a powerful weapon in the battle against cervical cancer worldwide," said Kent Erickson, Vice President of Sales for North America.

Why is this screening pap smear product better than the other two on the market? Citofem give the same superior results as the other two previous tests but it allows for a manual procedure that is very easy to replaces the purchase of expensive lab equipment.The process is extremely efficient with a single cytotechnologist processing on average over 750 slides per day.

Citofem results in a significant reduction in false negatives, increasing the diagnosis of the disease in its early stages," said Dr. Ladly Abraham, Chief Medical Officer of Biodis. "Citofem is also responsible for a reduction in inconclusive results arising from atypical squamous cells (ASC). It also results in the increased level of detection of low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL). We're very excited about Citofem because it's the most complete system for the early detection of cervical cancer, in that it obtains a much higher population of endocervical cells in the sample."

Top Honors For the Outstanding Innovation of the development of  Citofem Pap Smear Screening.

For more info:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/revolutionary-new-cervical-cancer-screening-test-to-hit-worldwide-market-2012-05-02

Quest Diagnostics Show Support For the Cancer Testing

A new effort in urging women to be proactive in cancer prevention.  The American Cancer society is promoting the "Choose You® movement for women's health. Quest Diagnostics has decided to be a large part of this undertaking. The following information was released in the news.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, today announced its national presenting sponsorship of the American Cancer Society Choose You® movement, which encourages women nationwide to live well today and stay well tomorrow. In support of the Choose You movement and in recognition of National Women's Health Week May 13 – 19 sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health, Quest Diagnostics will offer 10,000 vouchers for free screenings to women at May Choose You events around the country, beginning today in New York City.
"One in three women will get cancer in her lifetime. But a significant number of cancer deaths could be prevented if people maintained a healthy weight through diet and regular exercise, avoided tobacco products and had their regular health checks," said Kimberly Wright, Director, Mission Solutions and Tools, at the American Cancer Society. "We're proud to have Quest Diagnostics as our Choose You national presenting sponsor, and we greatly value their partnership as we work together to empower women to get active, manage their health, and stay well."
An American Cancer Society survey finds that 40 percent of women said they would be more physically active in their free time if it felt less like work and more like play. In response, Choose You is issuing a challenge to women: Choose play in May and help the Society inspire 100,000 acts of physical activity. To get the challenge started, a series of Choose You pop-up "play teams" will be hitting the streets of New York (May 1), Los Angeles (May 11) and Washington, DC (May 22), inviting passers-by to get active with nostalgic childhood toys, including the '80s famed Skip It, hula hoops, hoppity-hop balls and double Dutch jump ropes. Today the Choose You team launched the movement by encouraging women to play midday through late afternoon in New York's Times Square.
"Choose You is an important and growing women's health initiative, and it made great sense in 2012 for Quest Diagnostics to continue and strengthen our support of the women touched by this American Cancer Society movement," said Laure Park, Quest Diagnostics' Corporate Citizenship Officer. "Whether you're a family member, healthcare provider, co-worker or friend, we hope you'll join us – this month and throughout the next year – in encouraging the women in our lives to prioritize a healthy lifestyle, get out and play, and make time for their regular health checks.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/01/4457562/quest-diagnostics-sponsors-american.html#storylink=cpy

New Technology to Kill Cancer With Radiation Will Be Tested

A Battelle scientist in was granted with 148,880 to use to test 'radiogel' for killing cancer at the University of Washington. This generous award came from the Life Sciences Discovery Fund which mission is to advance the technology
Radogel has resulted from years of research by scientists for Battelle to develop a radioactive isotope that would be injected in the body and will stay in place.  Due to the fact that the injection will stay in place it will deliver a high dose of cancer-killing radiation.

"The technology could be used for solid cancers that cannot be removed surgically and require high doses of radiation for treatment to be successful", said Darrell Fisher, a senior scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the recipient of the grant for his research for Battelle.


The radiogel includes a polymer and microspheres of the medical isotope yttrium 90 in a water-based solution. The polymer is in liquid form when it's injected to the cancer site, but quickly turns into a gel at body temperature and stays in place.
The polymer binds the microspheres in place as the yttrium 90 bombards the cancer with radiation, with little of the radiation reaching nearby healthy tissue. It has applications for cancers of the liver, brain, head and neck, kidney and pancreas, and is showing promise for eye tumors.
The grant will allow clinicians at the UW Department of Radiology to perform test injections on rabbits, using ultrasound to guide the needle to liver tumors. The technology has been licensed to Advanced Medical Isotope of Kennewick to produce and distribute, following an option between Battelle and AMIC announced last year.
"We expect the radiogel to become a therapeutic agent that provides physicians with the ability to effectively treat tumors that cannot be removed surgically or that cannot be treated by any other means," said Robert Schenter, chief scientific officer for AMIC.

Hopefully , radiogel will prove to be very successful!  What do you think about this new radiation technology?

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018049002_grant26m.html

Waiting On The Pathology Report

We have heard these words "Waiting on the Pathology Report" many times in our lives. We have heard these words from doctors, friends, and family. While we are waiting for results we become anxious by hoping for the best but dreading the worst.  Do you really know what is included in a Patholgy report?

                                                 Pathologist reviews biopsy slides under a microscope.

1. What is a pathology report? A pathology report is a document that contains the diagnosis determined by examining cells and tissues under a microscope. The report may also contain information about the size, shape, and appearance of a specimen as it looks to the naked eye. This information is known as the gross description.
   
   A pathologist is a doctor who does this examination and writes the pathology report. Pathology reports play an important role in cancer diagnosis and staging (describing the extent of cancer within the body, especially whether it has spread), which helps determine treatment options. 
2. How is tissue obtained for examination by the pathologist? In most cases, a doctor needs to do a biopsy or surgery to remove cells or tissues for examination under a microscope.
   Some common ways a biopsy can be done are as follows:
   
   • A needle is used to withdraw tissue or fluid.
     
   • An endoscope (a thin, lighted tube) is used to look at areas inside the body and remove cells or tissues.
     
   • Surgery is used to remove part of the tumor or the entire tumor. If the entire tumor is removed, typically some normal tissue around the tumor is also removed.
   Tissue removed during a biopsy is sent to a pathology laboratory, where it is sliced into thin sections for viewing under a microscope. This is known as histologic (tissue) examination and is usually the best way to tell if cancer is present. The pathologist may also examine cytologic (cell) material. Cytologic material is present in urine, cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid around the brain and spinal cord), sputum (mucus from the lungs), peritoneal (abdominal cavity) fluid, pleural (chest cavity) fluid, cervical/vaginal smears, and in fluid removed during a biopsy. 
3. How is tissue processed after a biopsy or surgery? What is a frozen section?
   The tissue removed during a biopsy or surgery must be cut into thin sections, placed on slides, and stained with dyes before it can be examined under a microscope. Two methods are used to make the tissue firm enough to cut into thin sections: frozen sections and paraffin-embedded (permanent) sections. All tissue samples are prepared as permanent sections, but sometimes frozen sections are also prepared.
   Permanent sections are prepared by placing the tissue in fixative (usually formalin) to preserve the tissue, processing it through additional solutions, and then placing it in paraffin wax. After the wax has hardened, the tissue is cut into very thin slices, which are placed on slides and stained. The process normally takes several days. A permanent section provides the best quality for examination by the pathologist and produces more accurate results than a frozen section (1).
   Frozen sections are prepared by freezing and slicing the tissue sample. They can be done in about 15 to 20 minutes while the patient is in the operating room (1). Frozen sections are done when an immediate answer is needed; for example, to determine whether the tissue is cancerous so as to guide the surgeon during the course of an operation. 
4. How long after the tissue sample is taken will the pathology report be ready? 

 The pathologist sends a pathology report to the doctor within 10 days after the biopsy or surgery is performed. Pathology reports are written in technical medical language. Patients may want to ask their doctors to give them a copy of the pathology report and to explain the report to them. Patients also may wish to keep a copy of their pathology report in their own records (1). 

1. What information does a pathology report usually include? The pathology report may include the following information (1):
   
   • Patient information: Name, birth date, biopsy date.
     
   • Gross description: Color, weight, and size of tissue as seen by the naked eye.
     
   • Microscopic description: How the sample looks under the microscope and how it compares with normal cells.
     
   • Diagnosis: Type of tumor/cancer and grade (how abnormal the cells look under the microscope and how quickly the tumor is likely to grow and spread).
     
   • Tumor size: Measured in centimeters.
     
   • Tumor margins: There are three possible findings when the biopsy sample is the entire tumor:
     
     • Positive margins mean that cancer cells are found at the edge of the material removed.
       
     • Negative, not involved, clear, or free margins mean that no cancer cells are found at the outer edge.
       
     • Close margins are neither negative nor positive.
       
   • Other information: Usually notes about samples that have been sent for other tests or a second opinion.
     
   •  Pathologist’s signature and name and address of the laboratory. 
2. What might the pathology report say about the physical and chemical characteristics of the tissue? After identifying the tissue as cancerous, the pathologist may perform additional tests to get more information about the tumor that cannot be determined by looking at the tissue with routine stains, such as hematoxylin and eosin (also known as H&E), under a microscope (2). The pathology report will include
   
   1. The results of these tests. For example, the pathology report may include information obtained from immunochemical stains (IHC). IHC uses antibodies to identify specific antigens on the surface of cancer cells. IHC can often be used to:
      
      • Determine where the cancer started.
      • Distinguish among different cancer types, such as carcinoma, melanoma, and lymphoma.
      • Help diagnose and classify leukemias and lymphomas (3).
      The pathology report may also include the results of flow cytometry. Flow cytometry is a method of measuring properties of cells in a sample, including the number of cells, percentage of live cells, cell size and shape, and presence of tumor markers on the cell surface. (Tumor markers are substances produced by tumor cells or by other cells in the body in response to cancer or certain noncancerous conditions.) Flow cytometry can be used in the diagnosis, classification, and management of cancers such as acute leukemia, chronic lymphoproliferative disorders, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (2).
      Finally, the pathology report may include the results of molecular diagnostic and cytogenetic studies. Such studies investigate the presence or absence of malignant cells, and genetic or molecular abnormalities in specimens. 
   2. What information about the genetics of the cells might be included in the pathology report? Cytogenetics uses tissue culture and specialized techniques to provide genetic information about cells, particularly genetic alterations. Some genetic alterations are markers or indicators of a specific cancer. For example, the Philadelphia chromosome is associated with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Some alterations can provide information about prognosis, which helps the doctor make treatment recommendations (3). Some tests that might be performed on a tissue sample include:
      
      • Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) determines the positions of particular genes. It can be used to identify chromosomal abnormalities and to map genes.
        
      • Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a method of making many copies of particular DNA sequences of relevance to the diagnosis.
        
      • Real-time PCR or quantitative PCR is a method of measuring how many copies of a particular DNA sequence are present.
        
      • Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is a method of making many copies of a specific RNA sequence.
        
      • Southern blot hybridization detects specific DNA fragments.
        
      • Western blot hybridization identifies and analyzes proteins or peptides.
      • 
        
        1. Can individuals get a second opinion about their pathology results? Although most cancers can be easily diagnosed, sometimes patients or their doctors may want to get a second opinion about the pathology results (1). Patients interested in getting a second opinion should talk with their doctor. They will need to obtain the slides and/or paraffin block from the pathologist who examined the sample or from the hospital where the biopsy or surgery was done.
           Many institutions provide second opinions on pathology specimens. National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers or academic institutions are reasonable places to consider. Contact information for NCI-designated cancer centers can be found in the NCI-Designated Cancer Centers database at https://cissecure.nci.nih.gov/factsheet/FactSheetSearch1_2.aspx on the Internet. Patients should contact the facility in advance to determine if this service is available, the cost, and shipping instructions. 
        2. What research is being done to improve the diagnosis of cancer? NCI, a component of the National Institutes of Health, is sponsoring clinical trials that are designed to improve the accuracy and specificity of cancer diagnoses. Before any new method can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether it is safe and effective. 
           People interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor. Information about clinical trials is available from NCI’s Cancer Information Service (CIS) (see below) at 1–800–4–CANCER and in the NCI fact sheet Cancer Clinical Trials at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Information/clinical-trials on the Internet. This fact sheet includes information about types of clinical trials, who sponsors them, how they are conducted, how participants are protected, and who pays for the patient care costs associated with a clinical trial. Further information about clinical trials is available at http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials on NCI’s Web site. The Web site offers detailed information about specific ongoing studies by linking to PDQ®, NCI’s comprehensive cancer information database. The CIS also provides information from PDQ.
      • http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/pathology-reports

DR-70 Test Detects Most Cancers

DR-70 is a simple blood test that screens for 13 different cancers at the same time. It is highly specific and catches cancer long before you would suspect anything was amiss. It runs about $100. Cancers that can be detected by the test are of the lung, colon, breast, stomach, liver, rectum, ovary, cervix, esophagus, thyroid, and pancreas, and trophoblast and malignant lymphoma. AMDL has also received clearance from the FDA to market the PyloriProbe™ test, which can detect the presence of Helicobacter Pylori in the stomach, the primary cause of ulcers and a potential cause of stomach cancer. For more info on the test, contact AMDL Inc., in Tustin, California by calling 714-505-4460, or email them at: info@amdl.com, or go to their website at www.amdl.com. We are attempting to get information on the accuracy of this test.

 

• diagnose early cancer development – that is the ability to diagnose cancer in those with little or no symptoms or signs;
• confirm the diagnosis of cancer in those with uncertain results of conventional tests such as blood tests or X-rays;
• monitor the effect of treatment, including conventional treatment such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or complementary and alternative treatments such as nutritional approaches or herbal medicine; and
• detect early recurrence in those who have had cancer in the past but are now in remission.

Who Should Have the Test?

The test is available to everyone.

It would be particularly valuable for:

• those who have a strong family history of cancer, but are fit and well; 
• those who have had suspicious test results from their doctors, but do not know whether they have cancer or not; 
• those who have had cancer diagnosed and are about to embark upon a course of treatment; and
• those who have had cancer in the past, and want to make sure they are clear.

For fit and healthy people, over the age of 40, it could be argued that they should have the test every 2 years or so.  For fit and healthy people over the age of 55 – 60 it could be argued that they should have the test every 12 months.

For people with cancer, or a history of cancer, or a family history of cancer, it could be argued that the test should be carried out more frequently.

How Is It Done?

The DR-70 test is carried out on a a fasting blood sample – that is a blood sample taken after fasting (not eating) for a period of 12 hours or longer.

We ask people to come to the clinic to have a blood sample taken in the mornings, having had nothing to eat after tea or supper the night before.

The blood sample is then sent off to a laboratory in Harley Street, London, where it is analysed.

The results are available to us after around 14 – 21 days, and we usually arrange a follow-up appointment in a month to discuss your results.

How Accurate are the Results?

No test can be 100% accurate. This test is probably as accurate as can be.

At Better Health we have always approached new treatments, new tests and new therapies with an analytical, scientific approach – are they as good as they claim to be?

Currently available and previous tests for cancer have been vague and of limited accuracy or limited usefulness. For example, the PSA test for prostate cancer is accurate, but only for prostate cancer, X-rays are useful in a large number of cancers but may miss many cancers, and is not specific enough to confirm the diagnosis.

A low DR-70 level is normal, and implies that there is no cancer in the body; a medium level of DR-70 implies the presence of early cancer, but the test should be repeated to confirm the result and to look for an upward trend (which would be much more indicative of cancer); high DR-70 levels are highly indicative of invasive cancer, and further tests should be done to search for the cancer site.

What Advice Do You Get?

If the DR-70 levels are low or normal, then the presence of cancer is highly unlikely. A follow up test should be carried out in 12 – 24 months.

If the DR-70 levels are moderately raised then the test should be repeated, possibly with other tests looking for other signs of cancer.

If the DR-70 levels are high, then further tests should be carried out, looking for signs of cancer.

Further tests should include physical / clinical examination, blood tests, and possibly X-rays or other imaging tests. Further tests may be indicated according to individual requirements.

In the presence of high, or moderately raised, DR-70 tests, we would advise that you seek further advice from your own doctor or GP. We will provide you with the test results and explanation of the test results to show your doctor, and any further information that he or she needs.

We would expect that further tests would be carried out to investigate the presence of cancer as above.

Further advice is available from Better Health on request, and we would also give you advice regarding diet and lifestyle in relation to cancer, the use of diet and nutritional supplements, and the use of herbal and other complementary and alternative medicines in cancer support.

How Much Does it Cost?

The cost of the DR-70 test is £125, which includes taking and processing the blood test prior to sending forward to the laboratory, and a follow up consultation for the test result.

Further charges apply for any further consultations, tests or treatments, and these will be discussed with you fully as necessary.

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~bhealth/cancertest.htm