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Suthek t1_jadc87w wrote

Wouldn't this only work if the cancer had already metastasized? Otherwise there wouldn't be cancer cells in the blood (unless it's blood cancer).

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SerialStateLineXer t1_jadlscb wrote

Cells produce molecules which circulate in the blood, so you don't have to wait for circulating cancer cells. The tricky part is finding molecular signatures that identify cancer with high sensitivity and specificity.

For example, elevated prostate-specific antigen is a sign of something wonky going on in the prostate, which may be cancer, but also may not.

Edit: See responses. This comment isn't relevant to this particular device, which actually looks for cancer cells in the blood.

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snoopervisor t1_jae2egt wrote

The title specifically says cancer cells. And that's what the article is about: "Managing cancer through the assessment of tumour cells in blood samples is far less invasive than taking tissue biopsies."

Looks like it's for people who went to the doctor a bit too late. The method only makes their tests a bit less painful.

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mrbrambles t1_jae5ctj wrote

Metastasis is, theoretically, when circulating cells embed in new areas. If you already have a secondary metastasis, it’s too late. This could potentially be a way to better determine if a cancerous tumor is still isolated to one location, or if it’s starting to shed cells that will eventually become detectably large and embedded metastatic secondary tumors.

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