LUNG cancer could be detected much earlier using a simple blood test, experts say. Scientists have found that the devasting disease can change levels of DNA in the blood - which a test would pick up. In a test using mice, they measured the circulating levels of DNA in the blood which cancer cells shed as they grow and multiply. That's led them to suggest that a simple blood test could even predict the presence of tumours in the lungs before they become cancerous. Lung cancer is the number of cause cancer-related deaths around the world - largely down to the fact that it's really hard to detect early enough to treat, In many cases, by the time it's been diagnosed it's too late and has spread to other parts of the body. As with most cancers, the earlier you catch it, the easier it is to treat - and the more positive the prognosis. Scientists at the MRC Toxicology Unit, part of the University of Cambridge, alongside scientists at the University of Leicester used mice with a gene modelling … [Read more...] about Simple blood test could spot deadly lung cancer BEFORE it disease starts growing
Holy blood holy grail
Don’t worry Indiana, I’ve found Holy Grail of long life – Jim Duffy
0 Have your say Jim Duffy used to hope he’d die before he got old, but he now thinks living into his Eighties might be all right and has discovered how to do it. The old Indiana Jones movies with Harrison Ford were pretty epic events in their day. From Raiders of the Lost Ark to The Crystal Skull, these movies provided swashbuckling, testosterone-fuelled adventures that kept us, the audience, glued to the screen. Would Indiana win through against the odds, overcoming the baddies and cheats? The more I think about it, with all the spiders, creepy crawlies and snakes he had to deal with, it was like a precursor for I’m a Celebrity ... get me out of here! My favourite Indiana Jones movie was Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade starring Sir Sean Connery. Long and short, they go after the Holy Grail, the cup of Christ, and if one drinks from it, one has eternal life. And living longer seems to be in vogue not only for Indiana, but for us all. Hence the … [Read more...] about Don’t worry Indiana, I’ve found Holy Grail of long life – Jim Duffy
Cancer researchers in Australia develop universal blood test
Kristin Lam USA TODAY Published 10:52 PM EST Dec 4, 2018 Australian scientists have developed a simple blood test that they claim can diagnose cancer in mere minutes by identifying a unique DNA signature present in all types of the disease. A genetic pattern in all cancers, researchers said Tuesday, could help make diagnosing cancer more accessible and affordable. The blood test detected cancer with 90 percent accuracy in the University of Queensland’s tests of different human cancers and healthy cells and can be done in only 10 minutes. Nanoparticles of gold change colors if the cancer DNA is present, using the same technology as pregnancy tests with strip indicators, according to researchers. “This happens in one drop of fluid,” said Professor Matt Trau, one of the study's researchers, adding that researchers are still unsure if the test will emerge as the "holy grail" for cancer diagnostics. “You can detect it by … [Read more...] about Cancer researchers in Australia develop universal blood test
Groundbreaking blood test can tell patients whether they have cancer in 10 minutes
BOFFINS have created a blood test that can tell patients whether they have almost any type of cancer - in just 10 minutes. The radical new method - in which blood is dropped into a vial of fluid - is still being developed, but if rolled out it would be a massive game-changer for cancer screening by making it quick and easy for doctors to diagnose sufferers. The method, which is non-invasive and cheap, involves a fluid that changes colour if any malignant cells - from anywhere in the body - are detected in the blood. The test has a sensitivity rating of around 90 per cent - meaning it would detect 90 out of 100 cases of cancer. Doctors would then be able to carry out further tests to diagnose the particular type of disease the patient was suffering from. Scientists discovered that cancer DNA and normal DNA stick to metal differently and behave differently in water. So they added tiny gold nanoparticles to water, which turns the liquid pink. If blood with cancer DNA is dropped into the … [Read more...] about Groundbreaking blood test can tell patients whether they have cancer in 10 minutes
Could this be the secret to getting off blood pressure tablets?
A mum from Ealing says she has found the Holy Grail of getting off the dreaded blood pressure tablets that so many middle aged people now have to take every day. Ealing Council and the local NHS spend thousands of pounds each year on public health campaigns and even more on giving out blood pressure pills. But mother-of-two Louise Buchanan who runs a successful online website selling beads, says her life has improved 100% since making some small changes earlier this year. Critically, her blood pressure has dropped from high to normal levels, allowing her to ditch the tablets. In January this year Louise, who is just 5ft 4ins, weighed 12 stone, making her 'overweight' according to official NHS figures. But by Easter, the weight had fallen off and she was just under ten stone, making her a 'healthy' weight. For the first time, Louise was able to get into size 10 skirt that had been hanging in her wardrobe for years. The back problems she had suffered with for years also cleared up. "On … [Read more...] about Could this be the secret to getting off blood pressure tablets?