What new methods can be developed to improve cancer detection in blood samples? This is what a recent study published in Nanoscale Horizons hopes to address as a team of researchers from Japan investigated a novel technique that could revolutionize cancer detection. This study has the potential to help scientists, medical professionals, and the public better understand new developments in cancer detection and the steps that can be taken to implement them.

For the study, the researchers introduced how laser-powered technology could help enhance blood-based tests traditionally used for cancer detection. The primary motivation behind the study was to address longstanding roadblocks with cancer detection, specifically regarding traditional cancer detection processes being time-consuming and lacks accuracy.

To test their new method, the researchers focused on a common biomarker of colorectal cancer, glycoprotein CEACAM-5, where they introduced beads of glycoprotein CEACAM-5 into blood plasma and used their laser-based technology to identify and measure the glycoprotein CEACAM-5. In the end, the researcher found their laser-based technology successfully identified nanoscale-sized glycoprotein CEACAM-5 within the blood plasma.