Scientists have identified 618 proteins related to 19 cancer types, detectable over seven years before cancer diagnosis. This breakthrough in proteomics may enable earlier detection and preventative treatment strategies, shifting the focus from treatment to prevention. With over 300,000 cancer cases analyzed, the research aims to develop targeted therapies that could revolutionize cancer care by focusing on the proteins that influence cancer risk and development.
Two studies funded by Cancer Research UK and conducted by Oxford Population Health have identified blood proteins that could potentially alert individuals to the presence of cancer up to seven years before it is diagnosed. Researchers pinpointed 618 proteins associated with 19 different cancer types, including 107 proteins in individuals whose blood samples were collected at least seven years prior to their cancer diagnosis. The team has discovered that these proteins could be involved at the very earliest stages of cancer, where it could be prevented.
They believe that some of these proteins could be used to detect cancer much earlier than is currently possible. In the future, this could help treat the disease at a much earlier stage or prevent it altogether. Study Methodology and Initial Findings Cancer Research UK is funding researchers to look for the earliest signs of cancer as part of its long-term strategy to prevent cancer through research.
In these studies, the team used a powerful technique called proteomic.
