an ultrasound and scans (MRI, PET or CT) to more invasive tests such as proctoscopy and biopsies. Cancer cells usually have distinct features in comparison to normal cells where they synthesize different markers and can have different proteins. Identifying these unique features can help better diagnose all types of cancer including colon cancer.
Tatini Rakshit and her team from S N Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, jointly conducted research with 2 other Indian institutes which were Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP) and Bose Institute to mark the compound hyaluronan which is abundantly available within the body but often difficult to identify. The researchers identified a technique to bridge this gap with a high-resolution powerful modern microscope called Atomic Force Microscope to hunt for vesicles. On completion of the identification the hyaluronan coated vesicles are analyzed with Atomic Force Spectroscopy a form of spectroscopy where a biophysical device can measure properties of living cells. This novel technique could be a possible game changer for cancer detection.
The researchers also found that cancer cells release almost double the vesicles that healthy colon cells do, and are also morphologically unique from them. They further stated that colon cancer cell vesicles were heavily coated with hyaluronan as opposed to their healthy counterparts. The successful application of these techniques could also give hope in possibly applying these techniques to the diagnosis of other cancers. Further studies are likely to be conducted to help optimize these novel techniques.
