Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer that affects women. Luckily there is a pill that could speed up the detection process and clearly identify cancer cells.
This innovative pill was introduced in a press conference held last March 15, 2016 by the American Chemical Society in San Diego California. Dr. Greg Thurber, Ph.D., from the University of Michigan led a team of doctors to come up with a pill that contains a certain type of dye which can illuminate the cancerous cells and the blood vessels that can only be found in tumors.
Mammograms are the most common tool that can detect breast cancer tumors but doctors may not be able to distinguish if it is benign or cancerous. According to Dr. Thurber, "Screening can potentially catch the disease early in some patients, but false positives can lead to unnecessary, aggressive treatments in patients who don't need them. We don't know how to select the right patients to treat."
When tested on mice, their team found that 50-60 percent of the fluorescent agent was absorbed into the bloodstream. It is more common for near-infrared light to be detected 1-2 centimeters deep but when you have the elasticity of breast tissue coupled with an ultrasound then this would enable all types of cancers to become visible.
Dr. Thurber's team is currently formulating a pill that would work on humans. The pill's feature allows doctors to detect aggressive tumors so that it would be easier to distinguish them from slow-growing or non-invasive forms of cancer.
Currently, the dye is already being used in Europe for other clinical applications which make Dr. Thurber confident that this could help gain approval in the U.S. Further modifications include employing certain molecules that would improve absorption in human patients.
Dr. Thurber acknowledges the National Institutes of Health and the University of Michigan for the funding his team has received. He is eager to continue his work in finding better options for cancer diagnosis.
According to cancer.org, breast cancer is the second most common type to affect women and over 246,600 cases of breast cancer will be reported this year. Share this news with friends and family who might be experiencing the early stages of breast cancer.
