Scientists have developed a new blood test that could help detect pancreatic cancer at an early stage, potentially saving thousands of lives. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most dangerous types of cancer and is known for its difficulty in treatment and diagnosis. Only 10% of patients live more than 5 years after diagnosis, while more than half die within 3 months of diagnosis. In a study conducted by scientists from the University of Pennsylvania and the Mayo Clinic, researchers tested various blood samples from people with pancreatic cancer and from healthy individuals. In the study, the researchers focused on the CA19-9 and THBS2 markers used in medicine, and then discovered two new proteins in the blood called ANPEP and PIGR, according to the British newspaper 'Daily Mail'. It turned out that the levels of these two proteins were higher in people with early-stage pancreatic cancer compared to healthy people. When the team combined all four markers (CA19-9, THBS2, ANPEP and PIGR) in one test, they were able to identify pancreatic cancer with an accuracy of about 92%, according to the study published in the medical journal AACR. Additionally, the test gave a false positive result in only 5% of healthy individuals. As for cases of cancer at an early stage, it managed to detect about 8% of cases. Researchers hope that this test will be used in the future to screen people at high risk, such as those with a family history of the disease, certain genetic risks, pancreatic cysts, or chronic pancreatitis. Lead researcher Kenneth Zaret from the University of Pennsylvania stated that adding the two new markers 'significantly improved' the ability to detect pancreatic cancer while it is still treatable. He also added that the new test can also distinguish between cancer and non-cancerous conditions such as pancreatitis, which was a major problem in previous test models. Currently, pancreatic cancer is considered an incurable disease, and the average life expectancy after diagnosis does not exceed 5 years. This disease causes death due to aggressive invasion of adjacent organs, obstruction of the biliary and intestinal tracts, and spread through the blood and lymphatic system to the liver, lungs, and abdomen. Common symptoms of this cancer include jaundice, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, fever, nausea, diarrhea, or constipation.
