Rapidly detecting cancer markers for diagnosis

Researchers at Okayama University report in the journal Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical that terahertz radiation can be used to rapidly detect makers for breast-cancer cells. The scientists present a technique that makes use of the binding properties of aptamers, synthetic organic molecules acting as probes for cancer cells. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Detecting it […]

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Potential markers identified for early detection and prevention of liver cancer

Liver cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, claiming 700,000 lives each year. Most cases are discovered too late for a cure—but now a study offers hope of early detection, and targets for new treatments. Published in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, the results show a dramatic increase in expression of sugar-burning ‘glycolytic’ enzymes in precancerous […]

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Machine learning IDs markers to help predict Alzheimer’s

Nearly 50 million people worldwide have Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. These irreversible brain disorders slowly cause memory loss and destroy thinking skills, eventually to such an extent that self-care becomes very difficult or impossible. While no cure currently exists, certain medications can delay the progression of symptoms for several years, extending the quality of life for patients. […]

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Maternal depression may alter stress and immune markers in children

New research suggests that depression in women may affect their children’s stress and physical well-being throughout life. For the Depression & Anxiety study, researchers followed 125 children from birth to 10 years. At 10 years, mothers’ and children’s cortisol (CT) and secretory immunoglobulin (s-IgA)—markers of stress and the immune system—were measured, mother-child interaction were observed, mothers and children underwent psychiatric […]

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Scientists help identify genetic markers for prostate cancer in global DNA download

An international team of researchers including USC scientists has found scores of new genetic markers in DNA code that increase prostate cancer risk—powerful knowledge likely to prove useful to detect and prevent the disease. Focusing on DNA of more than 140,000 men worldwide, researchers were able to identify 63 new genetic markers associated with prostate cancer risk. That greatly increases […]

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Newly identified genetic markers classify previously undetermined glioblastoma tumors

Most glioblastoma tumors are marked by one or two broad mutation patterns, but about 20 percent of the lethal brain tumors have biomarkers that cannot be identified.  Now scientists at Duke Cancer Institute have identified mutations for the vast majority of the remaining 20 percent of uncharacterized tumors, which tend to be especially lethal. The findings indicate that these mutations […]

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