Cal State Northridge Prof Exploring Ways To Detect Early Stage Cancer

NORTHRIDGE, CA -- A Cal State Northridge associate professor and his collaborators have developed a new method for detecting cancer in its early stages., according to the university.

CSUN associate professor of biology Cristian Ruiz and his collaborators at Weill Cornell Medicine developed the new method by detecting cancer mutations, the university said in a Jan. 17 news release.

If the investigative procedure is further successfully developed commercially, Ruiz said, doctors will be able to check individuals for early signs of cancer when they come in for routine check-ups, such as during annual physicals, using “liquid biopsies.”

Liquid biopsies are tests that use blood samples — such as those routinely used to check glucose and cholesterol levels — to detect cancer cells from a tumor, or their DNA, as opposed to directly sampling tumors in tissues, where it may be harder to obtain samples, or where it may be harder to find cancer cells because the tumor is at a very early stage.

If researchers can detect cancers in their earliest stages using liquid biopsies, it would greatly improve the outcome for the patient’s health by allowing for interventions before cancers spread further or become harder to treat, Ruiz said.

In the fight against cancer, Ruiz said a powerful weapon would be the ability for adults approaching the age of 40 to make an appointment with their primary care physician, who, through a simple test — a liquid biopsy — could find out if something serious is developing inside their body.

The earlier the cancer cells are found, he said, medical professionals are better able to stop cancer’s spread throughout the entire body.

“A patient has a much greater chance of recovering from a minor operation to remove a tumor, or surviving in general, compared to treating metastatic cancers,” Ruiz said. “Early detection also means less time spent in the hospital, a fraction of the cost for treatments and an extended possibility for a healthy life.”