Revolutionize yet simple blood test may help detect all cancers

Scientists have developed a new universal and easy test that might help in detecting all the cancers in the near future.

Scientists from the University of Bradford have so far used their technique on three types of cancer with promising results, however, it has been anticipated that in time the test could prevent costly and invasive procedures such as colonoscopies and biopsies but the researchers said that much more work was needed and nothing was still confirmed, the BBC reported.

The technique involves subjecting white blood cells to ultraviolet light which damages the cells' DNA.

Prof Diana Anderson from University of Bradford School of Life Sciences said that people with cancer have DNA which was more easily damaged by ultraviolet light than other people.

Up till now the test on the blood of melanoma, colon and lung cancer patients have shown that the DNA was more easily damaged compared with healthy people. Those patients with pre-cancerous conditions showed an intermediate level of damage.

Dr Anthea Martin, Cancer Research UK's science information manager, said that diagnosing cancer earlier would be the key to improving the chances of survival, but any new technique must be thoroughly trialled to make sure it would be reliable and accurate.

The study is published in the FASEB Journal.