Combined Marker Test Could Catch More Colon Cancers
Most forms of colorectal cancer can be prevented or successfully treated if caught early enough. Unfortunately, the disease is usually asymptomatic until it reaches the advanced stages so many people aren’t diagnosed until it is too late.
Colonoscopies can detect pre-cancerous polyps or small cancerous tumors early but, many patients avoid getting the procedure because they think it is too inconvenient, too expensive, or too embarrassing.
Results from recent clinical trials suggest there may soon be another method to catch the disease before it has progressed.
OncoMethylome Sciences (EBR: ONCOB) has successfully identified a combination of methylation markers which accurately detect the presence of colorectal cancer cells in stool samples. OncoMethylome’s research showed the marker test panel was able to correctly identify 86% of the colon cancer cases and 96% percent of the non-cancerous cases using stool samples taken from 147 study participants.
Data from the study was presented at the AACR Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development.
The company is also investigating a blood-based test and expects to report results from that study by the end of this year. OncoMethylome has already begun exploring commercial options for both tests. As their Chief Executive Officer explained,
“Developing patient-friendly, non-invasive stool and blood tests for colorectal cancer is one of our highest priorities.”
Herman Spolders
CEO, OncoMethylome Sciences
Source: OncoMethylome Sciences Newsroom
Related Links: Mayo Clinic; New York-Presbyterian Hospital; NCI Cancer Bulletin; newratings; North Carolina Biotechnology Center; CNN Money; Journal of Molecular Diagnostics; Minneapolis St Paul Business Journal; Johns Hopkins Colon Cancer Center
Related Video: What to Expect During a Colonoscopy from About.com
Related Podcast: Cancer Screening from CR Podcasts
Tags: Amsterdam; Belgium; North Carolina; cancer screening; Sigmoidoscopy; Robert C Timmins; less invasive tests; Veridex LLC
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