Cancer Diagnosis Breakthrough

In their preliminary study, conducted at the Belgorod Oncology Centre, they used 76 patients with gastric cancer and 30 healthy people as the control. The found malignant neoplasms in the stomach by analysing the blood levels of certain informational cytokine molecules, concluding that oxidative and antioxidant parameters are the most appropriate indicators. They compiled correlation models showing the structural relationships of the parameters of the cytokine, oxidative and antioxidant systems of healthy individuals and patients.

This approach allows us not only to verify the diagnosis, but also to reduce the financial costs of the cancer service in its formulation. At the moment, the diagnosis for gastrointestinal tract cancer uses 50 basic parameters, and the method proposed by the researchers brings this down to 5: IL-2, IL-4, IL-12, glutathione-S-transferase, and glutathione peroxidase.

Our own Professor Kristina Makkonen, explained that the research team studied eight serum cytokines, six enzymes of the antioxidant system, and three products of lipid peroxidation in patients and healthy people.

“According to the calculations made by the Kullback method, only three serum cytokines - IL-2, IL-4, IL-12 - and two parameters of the oxidative and antioxidant systems - glutathione-S-transferase, have the highest diagnostic informative value in detecting malignant tumours of the gastrointestinal tract and blood glutathione peroxidase. Gastric cancer causes a significant increase in IL-2, glutathione peroxidase and a representative decrease in IL-4, IL-12 and glutathione-S-transferase in the patient’s body. At the same time, these parameters are characterised by reliable intrasystemic links indicating the presence of pathology. In this regard, it is best to use these 5 parameters for a preliminary diagnosis of gastric cancer. This will reduce both the time for diagnosis and the financial costs of the cancer service.”

For more on this, go to the Elibrary.