Detecting cancer by small and simple means ...

Several times now I have seen or heard evidence that cancer can be detected by either small DNA or RNA fragments.  So it's time to share some of these exciting advances with you.

Tonight I ran across a study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) that found lung cancer-related microRNA's in tissue and in plasma (which is the liquid part of blood).  These RNA's should enable blood-based detection of lung cancer 1-2 years before it becomes clinically detectable.

Over a year ago one of the chief officers of Chronix Biomedical gave a presentation at Vanderbilt and discussed how they have been screening blood samples with the latest and greatest genome sequencing technology.  They found that small fragments of DNA resulting from cell death were good, early indicators of cancer progression, cancer remission (i.e. going away), and cancer regression (i.e. returning).  

I fully expect that in my lifetime we will see a new era in the detection of cancer.  It will be blood based and rely on the small and simple things found there such as these RNA and DNA fragments.  These methods of detecting cancer will identify the disease years earlier giving us a much better chance of beating the disease.  

I believe that as we begin to identify cancer earlier, we will discover that for most cases the best solutions are small and simple things like eating better, exercising more often, and/or getting needed rest more consistently.