A Taiwanese research team has developed a test kit that could detect with a drop of blood whether a patient has a high risk of lung cancer recurrence.
The team was led by Chung Shan Medical University vice president Chang Gee-chen (張基晟), a lung cancer expert.
Members of the team include Academia Sinica Institute of Chemistry research faculty member Chen Yu-ju (陳玉如), Academia Sinica Institute of Statistical Science researcher Chen Hsuan-yu (陳璿宇) and National Taiwan University (NTU) School of Medical Technology professor Yu Sung-liang (俞松良).
Photo: Yang Yuan-ting, Taipei Times
With a grant from the National Science and Technology Council, the team assessed 14,000 proteins using big data analysis and evaluated 127 types of plasma proteins by using an enzyme immunoassay analysis.
After testing blood samples of 200 patients at the NTU Hospital and the China Medical University Hospital, the team found four plasma protein combinations that can be used to predict the recurrence rate of people who undergo an operation for early-stage lung cancer.
The test kit has a sensitivity of 85 percent and can be on the market as early as in two years, Chang said yesterday.
The test kit is the only blood test in the world that can identify high-risk groups for lung cancer recurrence, Chang said.
People with lung cancer only have to provide 1ml of blood during the operation to use the test to find out their recurrence rate over a five-year period, he said.
The team has applied for a patent for the test kit in Taiwan and the US, he said, adding that the cost of the test is estimated to be about NT$20,000.
People whose test results show that they have a high risk of cancer recurring can receive treatment, while those with low risk can reduce their treatment after a doctor’s assessment to avoid harmful effects and wasting medical resources, Yu said.
The team is considering the possibility of combining the research with immunotherapy to perform clinical trials, he said, adding that it is seeking funding for the trials.
The US showed great interest in the testing model when the team presented it at Taiwan-US science and technology collaboration meetings last month, he said.
The test kit should be tested in other countries to see whether it can be used by people of different ethnicities, he said.
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