Proteins and particles circulating in the blood could soon open up the possibility of detecting cancers based on birthmarks, which would help track down slow-growing tumors at an early stage.
One of the most common subtypes of skin cancers is melanoma, a cancer that arises from birthmarks. The diagnosis of melanoma is based on the detection of different markers in the tumor tissue and the evaluation of their spatial distribution in the surrounding skin. However, this method takes time because it involves several activities, from finding the tumor to determining various markers. What if the whole process could be done from a blood sample instead, asks Kristiina Kurg, a junior technology researcher at the University of Tartu.
Today’s melanoma diagnosis begins with a visit to the doctor when a person has noticed a strange birthmark on their body. We define a strange birthmark as one that is asymmetrical, jagged-edged, multi-colored, more than six millimeters in diameter and constantly growing. If the doctor examined the birthmark with a small microscope or dermatoscope, if necessary, the patient is referred to a surgeon to remove it.
However, removal itself does not mean that the tumor has been completely removed. Instead, it could indicate a more serious case that may require chemotherapy or radiation therapy in addition to surgery. This is determined by a pathologist who looks at the removed tumor tissue under a microscope and evaluates the presence of various proteins.
The principle is simple: if proteins are present at the border of the melanoma excision and beyond, more extensive treatment is required to ensure cure. However, if all protein markers have been removed from the tumor, the patient has already recovered from the surgery.
The entire process described seems inconvenient, long and cumbersome for the patient. What if we could diagnose melanoma from a blood sample? We have a lot of experience with blood samples, because we collect and analyze them daily. We work in the Kurglab research laboratory with the development of diagnoses based on blood samples. I will present in more detail the two options we studied.
But first you need to understand what a tumor is. In fact, the tumor is our modified cells, on the surface of which new proteins begin to appear. However, not all proteins found in tumors are completely new. For example, there is a group of proteins (KTA – tumor assay antigens) that are present in the early stages of development. As the body develops, they disappear and are no longer visible in a healthy person.
When a tumor develops, a change occurs in the cell and these proteins reappear. Since the body has never seen them before, it begins to attack these proteins. For this reason, the body produces autoantibodies against them, which can be determined in the laboratory. We have observed this response in the laboratory. We found an autoantibody response against a potential marker, MAGEA10, which could be used for the diagnosis of melanoma.
Another possibility we have explored is extracellular particles in tumor diagnostics. They are produced by all cells in the body, including tumors. These are extracellular vesicles, i.e. extracellular nanoparticles, which contain exactly the same information as the cell that produced them. By separating these particles from the blood sample, we have the ability to find all the information about the tumor without even having to look at the patient’s birthmarks.
“There is still a lot of work to be done by many researchers before it can be used in clinical practice.”
Is this the future, that melanoma is now diagnosed through a blood test and that you can leave your clothes on when you go to the doctor? Maybe it will actually happen in the future, but not yet. Both markers found are still potential options at this time.
Many researchers still have a lot of work to do before it can be used in clinical practice. We need to conduct large-scale, long-term patient follow-up studies and large population reviews to demonstrate the importance of the clinical relevance and utility of these materials. Furthermore, it is necessary to understand whether these markers can be used individually or whether we can add them to already existing diagnostic chemistries.
However, the ideas are there and the door is open. Perhaps soon we will be able to diagnose melanoma even without looking at birthmarks.
Kristiina Kurg, junior technology researcher at the University of Tartu. Author/source: Private collection
The article was published as part of the “Science in 3 Minutes” competition organized by the Estonian Academy of Sciences, the final of which will take place on February 2.
Kristiina Kurg is a doctor of laboratory medicine currently attending a doctoral program in biomedical technology at the University of Tartu Institute of Technology. She actively promotes laboratory medicine and biomedical technology, writing articles for magazines such as Family Nurse and Family Doctor, as well as working in a research laboratory. In her free time, Kure enjoys making short videos about her scientific life and travels and sharing them on social media.
2024-01-26 11:31:00
in-the-future-a-drop-of-blood-could-be-enough-to-diagnose-skin-cancer-science-in-3-minutes