Cancer tests or biopsies, which are needed to confirm a diagnosis, have different types and most of them are pretty much invasive. However, recent findings of a research done by British scientist reveal that there is a less invasive way to diagnose cancer — blood testing.
Dr. Eric Lim, study leader from Royal Brompton Hospital in London, made it clear though that the new test is not an alternative to a biopsy for all patients.
"But when a blood test shows a positive result, this could mean a patient is saved from going through an unnecessary and invasive diagnostic procedure," Dr. Lim said, as per the report of 9 News.
The test can become a potential game-changer, Dispatch Times has learned. It was reported that it could diagnose the medical condition accurately in 24 hours.
Blood samples from 223 patients, with known or suspected lung cancer, were analyzed by a team of researchers from Royal Brompton Hospital & National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) at Imperial College in London.
The results were presented during the World Conference on Lung Cancer in Colorado. The test findings showed a 98 percent accuracy on positive results, and a 35 percent accuracy on negative results, NZ Herald reported.
Despite the accuracy rate, experts explained that the test could not be used to rule out the illness.
Additionally, specialists say that there are differences in the test used to screen the disease and monitoring those patients who already have it, thus, the need for biopsies cannot be eliminated yet.
"We hope this study will be a real game-changer that could ultimately lead to many more lives being saved through earlier diagnosis and treatment for all types of cancer," Dr. Lim said.
The researchers are hoping that GPs will use this new discovery to provide an early warning to the patients, if they have the disease. The test is simple, inexpensive and patients will not have to wait that long for the result.
Early diagnosis entails better chances for patients to survive cancer, and that's what everybody is aiming for.
© 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
