New Blood Proteins Identified as Potential Early Indicators of Cancer

Saturday - May 25 2024, 05:00 UTC - 8 months ago

Two new studies funded by Cancer Research UK have discovered that blood proteins could be used as early indicators of cancer, potentially paving the way for early detection and prevention efforts. The studies identified 618 proteins associated with 19 different types of cancer, with 107 of them present in individuals' blood samples up to seven years before their cancer diagnosis. Further research is needed to fully understand the role of these proteins and their potential impact on cancer development.

Two new studies funded by Cancer Research UK have revealed promising insights into cancer prevention by identifying blood proteins that could potentially serve as early indicators of the disease. Led by researchers from Oxford Population Health, the studies utilized proteomics, a powerful technique that allows for the analysis of a large set of proteins in tissue samples at a single point in time. With data from thousands of people with cancer, the team identified 618 proteins associated with 19 different types of cancer, 107 of which were present in individuals' blood samples up to seven years before their cancer diagnosis. This suggests that these proteins could potentially be involved at the very earliest stages of cancer, paving the way for early detection and prevention efforts.

The first study involved analyzing blood samples from the UK Biobank, which included over 44,000 people, with over 4,900 having been diagnosed with cancer. By analyzing a set of 1,463 proteins from a single sample of blood from each person, the team compared the proteins of those who were diagnosed with cancer to those who were not. They were able to identify 182 proteins that differed in the blood as early as three years before a cancer diagnosis.

In the second study, the team delved deeper into the role of blood proteins in cancer development. Through the analysis of genetic data from over 300,000 cancer cases, they identified 40 proteins that influence the risk of nine different types of cancer. While altering these proteins may affect the chances of developing cancer, there is a possibility of unintended side-effects. Further research is needed to fully understand the exact role of these proteins and their potential impact on cancer development, as well as the most reliable proteins to test for, possible tests that could be developed, and potential drug targets.

Dr. Keren Papier, Senior Nutritional Epidemiologist at Oxford Population Health and joint first author of the first study, highlighted the importance of understanding the earliest stages of cancer for prevention: "To save more lives from cancer, we need to better understand what happens at the earliest stages of the disease. Data from thousands of people with cancer has revealed really exciting insights into how the proteins in our blood can affect our risk of cancer. Now we need to study these proteins in depth to see which ones could be reliably used for prevention." .

The studies funded by Cancer Research UK are part of their long-term strategy to prevent cancer through research, and these findings bring hope for early detection and prevention efforts in the future.