New Delhi, 28 June (IANS). Scientists from Israel and the US have developed a blood test that can easily detect the initial risk of deadly blood cancer such as leukemia.
This study has been published in a magazine called ‘Nature Medicine’. This discovery will be helpful in identifying blood disorders called Mylodisplastic syndrome (MDS), which can lead to severe anemia and myeloid leukemia.
Currently bone marrow samples are examined to detect MDS, which requires local anemia. This process is painful and inconvenient for patients. However, the new blood test may replace this difficult process.
Researchers at Israeli’s Visman Institute of Science found that rare stem cells present in the bloodstream could give an early indication of MDS.
Researchers analyzed these cells using advanced technology, single-cell genetic sequenceing. From this, the disease can be detected by a simple blood sample. This test can be useful not only in MDS, but also in future other age-related blood disorders.
The study also revealed that these stem cells act as a biological clock, which gives information about the age of the person. Research found that changes in these cells in men come early than women, due to which blood cancer is seen more in men.
Dr. Blue Furure of the Wezman Institute said, “These cells change with age and their changes in men quickly, which increases their risk of cancer.”
This new blood test can make the treatment of blood cancer easier and less painful. Also, in the future, it can also be helpful in detecting blood diseases related to second age. Many hospitals of the world are going on a large scale tests for this discovery.
-IANS
MT/AS