Ivaylo Stoimenov, Katarina Larsson and Tobias Sjöblom have identified biomarkers that could form the basis for tests capable of detecting cancer.
Photo Credit: Mikael Wallerstedt
Scientific Frontline: Extended "At a Glance" Summary: Composite Biomarkers for Early Cancer Detection
The Core Concept: Researchers have identified composite blood biomarkers—specific combinations of proteins and metabolites—that can reliably detect early stages of colorectal, lung, and ovarian cancers.
Key Distinction/Mechanism: Unlike traditional single-protein diagnostics or invasive biopsies, this method utilizes a multi-marker approach that integrates both proteomic and metabolomic data. This composite profiling matches or exceeds the accuracy of current established tests and effectively discriminates between varying tumor stages.
Major Frameworks/Components:
- Ovarian Cancer Panel: A specific two-protein diagnostic combination capable of detecting ovarian cancer.
- Colorectal and Lung Cancer Panel: A designated four-protein set calibrated to reveal the presence of colorectal and lung tumors.
- Metabolomic Integration: The inclusion of metabolites (small molecules related to metabolism), which proved superior at discriminating between different stages of cancer than protein-only panels.
- Biobank Comparative Methodology: The systematic comparison of cancerous blood profiles (U-CAN) against healthy control profiles (EpiHealth) to isolate reproducible diagnostic signatures.
Branch of Science: Oncology, Proteomics, Metabolomics, and Pathology
Future Application: These biomarkers provide the foundation for stable, non-invasive clinical diagnostic blood tests. Future applications include population-wide screening via at-home blood collection kits and utilizing blood tests to distinguish between conditions with non-specific symptoms (e.g., differentiating metastatic ovarian cancer from bowel cancer) without the immediate need for a biopsy.
Why It Matters: Cancer survivability is critically dependent on early intervention before tumors metastasize. The implementation of highly accurate, easily accessible blood tests for early tumor detection has the potential to significantly reduce global cancer mortality rates.
Biomarkers in the blood could be used for early detection of colorectal cancer, lung cancer, and ovarian cancer. A new study from Uppsala University shows that the performance of such biomarkers is comparable to or better than established tests and could be developed for clinical use.
The chances of curing cancer depend largely on how early it is detected and whether it has had time to spread. Unfortunately, there are no effective methods for detecting tumors at an early stage, and many patients are still diagnosed far too late.
To detect cancer at an early stage, it would be desirable to be able to do so by means of a blood test. Blood samples are easy to collect and can often be analyzed efficiently. In the current study, researchers have identified biomarkers in the form of combinations of proteins and other substances in the blood that can be used to detect colorectal cancer, lung cancer, and ovarian cancer.
“We found several biomarkers that could be used to detect cancer. It was also possible to discriminate the stage of the tumor. The composite biomarkers we have identified could provide the basis for developing stable and reproducible diagnostic tests for detecting cancer,” says Tobias Sjöblom, who led the study.
Based on samples from cancer patients
The study is based on nearly 2,500 samples from the extensive U-CAN and EpiHealth biobanks. The U-CAN database contains blood samples collected from cancer patients. The samples from EpiHealth were used as control samples. The researchers then examined a large number of proteins to see if any of them differed between cancer samples and normal samples.
“In the study, we identified two proteins that, when used together, could detect ovarian cancer, and a set of four proteins that could reveal the presence of colorectal and lung cancer. They were all comparable to, or in some cases better than, established tests for detecting cancer based on blood or stool samples,” says Sjöblom.
Able to distinguish between tumor stages
In another part of the study, the researchers investigated the link between different tumor stages and the concentration of proteins and metabolites. Metabolites are small molecules that are produced or broken-down during metabolism. Here they found that biomarkers containing metabolites were better at discriminating between different stages of cancer than those containing only proteins, particularly in the case of ovarian and lung cancer.
“A potential future application for biomarkers specific to different tumor types is to distinguish between different forms of abdominal cancer in patients with non-specific abdominal symptoms. Metastatic ovarian cancer, for example, can resemble bowel cancer, and in such cases a reliable blood test could complement or even replace a biopsy,” says Sjöblom.
The researchers now plan to collect samples from 100,000 study participants, who will take their own blood samples at home.
“We will then analyze the samples to see whether the biomarkers really can detect tumors at an earlier stage. The hope is that they can help reduce cancer mortality,” Sjöblom concludes.
Published in journal: Molecular Cancer
Authors: Jim Åkerrén Ögren, Joakim Ekström, Natallia Rameika, Emma Torell, Chatarina Larsson, Ivaylo Stoimenov, Patrick Micke, Ulf Gyllensten, Mats Hellström, Bengt Glimelius, Karin Stålberg, and Tobias Sjöblom
Source/Credit: Uppsala University | Kerstin Henriksson
Reference Number: ongy042026_01
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