How a cheap blood test may soon detect one of the deadliest cancers

One of the deadliest cancers, pancreatic cancer, can be detected with just a drop of blood.

Yes, that may be possible soon.

Researchers at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) have developed a blood test called PAC-MANN.

It is an abbreviation for “protease activity-based assay using a magnetic nanosensor.”

The study was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine on Wednesday.

Here’s all we know about it.

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How does the test work?

The non-invasive test was developed by the researchers using blood samples from 350 patients from CEDAR and the Brenden-Colson Centre for Pancreatic Care at OHSU.

The participants were either controls, at high risk for cancer or had pancreatic cancer.

The researchers examined the blood for specific proteins, mainly proteases, which are more active in PDAC patients.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most prevalent and deadly type of pancreatic cancer, is identified by protease. This protein allow tumours to grow by weakening connective tissues.

They created a test that could precisely diagnose pancreatic cancer by figuring out these proteins.

The PAC-MANN test was 98 per cent successful in accurately differentiating patients with pancreatic cancer from healthy individuals and those with non-cancerous pancreatic problems.

According to the study, it is a quick and convenient screening option since, in contrast to standard tests, it only requires a small blood sample and offers a simple fluorescent result.

The study’s lead author, Dr Jose L Montoya Mira, said, “Our test could be used for people at high risk of pancreatic cancer, which is not targeted by current tests.”

“It allows for a more robust and less invasive screening, unlike an endoscopic ultrasound and other liquid biopsy tests that require large volumes of blood, thus allowing our test to be performed more frequently for earlier detection.”

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Why is this significant?

When pancreatic cancer is detected at an advanced stage, there are few available options for treatment.

Though they are not accurate enough for early-stage identification, current tests like carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) are good at predicting prognosis.

By detecting indicators of cancer-related activity in the blood, the newly developed PAC-MANN test closes this gap and aids in the early detection of cancer.

The results showed that when combined with the CA 19-9 test, the test was able to identify early-stage cancer with an accuracy of 85 per cent.

“The problem with pancreatic cancer is that we often catch it too later,” study co-author Dr Jared Fischer, a scientist with the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s CEDAR, said, “Our goal with PAC-MANN is to give clinicians a tool that can detect the disease much earlier, when more treatment options are available and there is a better chance of survival.”

He said even after surgery, the test could help monitor whether treatments are effective or not.

“If we can track a patient’s response to therapy in real-time, we can make better treatment decisions and improve outcomes.”

Montoya, who plans for more trials, has said, “The big difference with this test is the cost: It takes only 8 microlitres of blood and 45 minutes to run the test at a cost of less than a penny per sample,” Montoya said. “This could easily be used in rural and underserved settings, where traditional tests are not or cannot be used.”

“Hopefully,” Fischer said, “this is one step toward ending cancer as we know it.”

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How common is pancreatic cancer?

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers, responsible for more than 50,000 deaths in 2024.

The most common type is PDAC, which begins in the cells that line the ducts that carry digestive enzymes out of the pancreas.

Patients are often diagnosed late in the cancer’s progression because the disease can be difficult to spot. It often doesn’t cause symptoms until it has spread past the point of being easily treatable.

When the disease is advanced, signs and symptoms may include belly pain that spreads to the sides or back, loss of appetite, weight loss, jaundice, light-coloured or floating stools, dark urine, itching, diabetes, pain and swelling in an arm or leg, tiredness or weakness.

While exact cause of pancreatic cancer is unknown, doctors say smoking and having a family history of pancreatic cancer may raise the risk of this type of cancer.

Furthermore, doctors have limited options, such as biopsies and imaging tests, to detect early pancreatic cancer cases.

With inputs from agencies