PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Simple test can indicate cervical cancer

2014-01-09
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Gary Mans
gary.mans@louisville.edu
502-852-7504
University of Louisville
Simple test can indicate cervical cancer LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Researchers at the University of Louisville have confirmed that using the heat profile from a person's blood, called a plasma thermogram, can serve as an indicator for the presence or absence of cervical cancer, including the stage of cancer.

The team, led by Nichola Garbett, Ph.D., published its findings online today (Jan. 8, 2014) in PLOS ONE.

"We have been able to demonstrate a more convenient, less intrusive test for detecting and staging cervical cancer," Garbett said. "Additionally, other research has shown that we are able to demonstrate if the current treatment is effective so that clinicians will be able to better tailor care for each patient."

To generate a plasma thermogram, a blood plasma sample is "melted" producing a unique signature indicating a person's health status. This signature represents the major proteins in blood plasma, measured by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The team, which includes Brad Chaires, Ph.D., Ben Jenson, Ph.D., William Helm, M.D., Michael Merchant, Ph.D., and Jon Klein, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Louisville School of Medicine, have demonstrated that the plasma thermogram profile varies when a person has or does not have the disease.

The team believes that molecules associated with the presence of disease, called biomarkers, can affect the thermogram of someone with cervical disease. They used mass spectrometry to show that biomarkers associated with cervical cancer existed in the plasma.

"The key is not the actual melting temperature of the thermogram, but the shape of the heat profile," Garbett said. "We have been able to establish thermograms for a number of diseases. Comparing blood samples of patients who are being screened or treated against those thermograms should enable us to better monitor patients as they are undergoing treatment and follow-up. This will be a chance for us to adjust treatments so they are more effective."

Chaires noted that plasma thermograms have different patterns associated with different demographics, as well as for different diseases. This results in a more thorough application of the test as a person's thermogram can be compared to specific demographic reference profiles or, even better, to the person's own profile. Using a person's unique thermogram would provide the most accurate application of the test which could be used as part of a personalized medicine approach.

Further clinical study could result in the plasma thermogram as a compliment test to the traditional screening method for cervical cancer, the Pap smear and would be less intrusive and more convenient for the patient. Additionally, because the plasma thermogram test could allow treatment effectiveness to be more easily monitored, treatment that was not working could be stopped sooner and replaced with more effective treatment. In summary, the test could result in earlier detection, more effective therapeutic approaches and lowered healthcare costs for screening and treatment of cervical cancer.

The University of Louisville researchers see great promise for their technique being able to detect and monitor in a range of other cancers and diseases. The test is non-invasive and requires only a simple blood draw. The plasma thermogram test has already been applied to identify multiple cancers, including melanoma, lung, cervical, ovarian, endometrial and uterine cancers and other diseases, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and Lyme disease. The test has shown great promise as a prognostic indicator of disease, allowing physicians to monitor cancer patients more closely for remission, response-to-therapy and recurrence.

As a result of the promising research findings, Garbett, Chaires and Jenson have founded a start-up company, Louisville Bioscience, Inc. (LBIdx™), which holds an exclusive license to the University of Louisville's Plasma Thermogram™ (pT™) technology. They also are shareholders in the company.

###

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

On-field blood test can diagnose sports concussions

2014-01-09
On-field blood test can diagnose sports concussions A brain protein, S100B, which may soon be detected by a simple finger-stick blood test, accurately distinguishes a sports-related concussion from sports exertion, according to a study of college ...

Fungi may determine the future of soil carbon

2014-01-09
Fungi may determine the future of soil carbon When scientists discuss global change, they often focus on the amount of carbon in the atmosphere and vegetation. But soil contains more carbon than air and plants combined. This means that even a minor ...

A 1-percent measure of galaxies half the universe away

2014-01-09
A 1-percent measure of galaxies half the universe away Researchers from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) today announced that they have measured the distance to galaxies more than six billion light years away to an ...

Molecular engines star in new model of DNA repair

2014-01-09
Molecular engines star in new model of DNA repair Study reveals major role of RNA polymerase and other enzymes in DNA repair Our health depends in large part upon the ability of specialized enzymes to find and repair ...

International Tree Nut Council funded study links nut intake with lower risks of obesity

2014-01-09
International Tree Nut Council funded study links nut intake with lower risks of obesity New Findings on tree nuts, metabolic syndrome and obesity in PlosOne A new study , published today in the online journal PLOS ONE, looks at the association between tree nuts (almonds, ...

Marine bacteria to fight tough infections

2014-01-09
Marine bacteria to fight tough infections Aggressive infections are a growing health problem all over the world. The development of resistant bacteria is rampant and, in the United States, resistant staphylococci cause more deaths than AIDS on an annual basis. Researchers ...

Controlling blood sugar levels in critically ill children could save NHS £12 million per year

2014-01-09
Controlling blood sugar levels in critically ill children could save NHS £12 million per year A major UK-wide study (The CHiP trial) led by Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical ...

Climate changes the distribution of plants and animals

2014-01-09
Climate changes the distribution of plants and animals Swiss plants, butterflies and birds have moved 8 to 42 meters uphill between 2003 and 2010, as scientists from the University of Basel write in the online journal "Plos One". Climate warming is changing the distribution ...

Emperor Penguins breeding on ice shelves

2014-01-09
Emperor Penguins breeding on ice shelves A new study of four Antarctic emperor penguin colonies suggest that unexpected breeding behaviour may be a sign that the birds are adapting to environmental change. Analysis of satellite observations reveals that penguin ...

First shark genome decoded

2014-01-09
First shark genome decoded Genome of the elephant shark provides new insights into immunity and bone formation This news release is available in German. An international team of researchers, including scientists of the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Are lifetimes of big appliances really shrinking?

Pink skies

Monkeys are world’s best yodellers - new research

Key differences between visual- and memory-led Alzheimer’s discovered

% weight loss targets in obesity management – is this the wrong objective?

An app can change how you see yourself at work

NYC speed cameras take six months to change driver behavior, effects vary by neighborhood, new study reveals

New research shows that propaganda is on the rise in China

Even the richest Americans face shorter lifespans than their European counterparts, study finds

Novel genes linked to rare childhood diarrhea

New computer model reveals how Bronze Age Scandinavians could have crossed the sea

Novel point-of-care technology delivers accurate HIV results in minutes

Researchers reveal key brain differences to explain why Ritalin helps improve focus in some more than others

Study finds nearly five-fold increase in hospitalizations for common cause of stroke

Study reveals how alcohol abuse damages cognition

Medicinal cannabis is linked to long-term benefits in health-related quality of life

Microplastics detected in cat placentas and fetuses during early pregnancy

Ancient amphibians as big as alligators died in mass mortality event in Triassic Wyoming

Scientists uncover the first clear evidence of air sacs in the fossilized bones of alvarezsaurian dinosaurs: the "hollow bones" which help modern day birds to fly

Alcohol makes male flies sexy

TB patients globally often incur "catastrophic costs" of up to $11,329 USD, despite many countries offering free treatment, with predominant drivers of cost being hospitalization and loss of income

Study links teen girls’ screen time to sleep disruptions and depression

Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring

Footprints reveal prehistoric Scottish lagoons were stomping grounds for giant Jurassic dinosaurs

AI effectively predicts dementia risk in American Indian/Alaska Native elders

First guideline on newborn screening for cystic fibrosis calls for changes in practice to improve outcomes

Existing international law can help secure peace and security in outer space, study shows

Pinning down the process of West Nile virus transmission

UTA-backed research tackles health challenges across ages

In pancreatic cancer, a race against time

[Press-News.org] Simple test can indicate cervical cancer