A team from Washington University in St. Louis developed a proof-of-concept technique to detect tumor biomarkers via a blood test using noninvasive focused ultrasound. The method could potentially eliminate surgical biopsies, according to a study published online April 26 in Scientific Reports.
“I see a clear path for the clinical translation of this technique,” said corresponding author Hong Chen, and assistant professor of radiation oncology at Wash U’s School of Medicine in a release. “Blood-based liquid biopsies have been used in other cancers, but not in the brain. Our proposed technique may make it possible to perform a blood test for brain cancer patients.”
The method allows biomarkers from a brain tumor to pass through the blood-brain barrier into a patient’s blood through the use of targeted ultrasound and microbubbles.
The technique, which was tested in 12 mice models, allowed messenger RNA to pass through the brain into the blood. Something never done before, according to authors.
“Once the blood-brain barrier is open, physicians can deliver drugs to the brain tumor,” Chen said in the release. “Physicians can also collect the blood and detect the expression level of biomarkers in the patient. It enables them to perform molecular characterizations of the brain tumor from a blood draw and guide the choice of treatment for individual patients.”
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.