Feasibility of Fecal MicroRNAs as Novel Biomarkers for Pancreatic Cancer Are there means of detecting Pancreatic Cancer sooner? The article “Feasibility of Fecal MicroRNAs as Novel Biomarkers for Pancreatic Cancer” is all about multiple studies done in hopes of finding alternate means to spot out pancreatic cancer (PCA) in its early and beginning stages. The reason for so much emphasis and stress on this study according to the article is because it clearly states that “PCA is the second leading cause of gastrointestinal cancer-related death in Europe and USA.
” (Link, Becker, Goel, Wex & Malfertheiner, 2012) Majority of patients who are treated for such issues such as tumors are usually diagnosed in the final stages of the cancer and are only able to use means such as radiology or surgical removal to try to help prognosis along. However, upon researching this matter further, scientists have found that “… blood, stool or other body fluids are currently believed to be the best avenues for biomarker research that incorporates a broad spectrum of genetic and/or epigenetic alternations associated with cancer. ” (Link, Becker, Goel, Wex &Malfertheiner, 2012).
They suggest that the fluids, lining and feces that passes through the intestines would definitely have an answer for them because the pancreas spills into the intestine. Therefore, any fluids or secretions from the pancreas into the intestine would result in being positive or negative for cancer cells. They suggest feces because it travels through the intestine and it would be the best specimen to observe. In order to conduct this research, they preformed multiple fecal specimens on a wide range of patients: 15 healthy, 15 who had chronic pancreatitis and 15 who were PCA patients.
The fecal samples had to be “broken down” (meaning the RNA had to be isolated to get to the microRNAs and seclude this part as well). What they found was the different nucleotides and how they were expressed was differently in each of the three categories that they obtained the fecal specimens from. These results show a great deal of why it is so important to continue furthering studies in things other than radiology for detection. With something as simple as a stool sample or some bodily fluid, many dangerous diseases and risks can be caught during early onset and hopefully prevented in worsening or progressing to stages in which would be much harder to keep a handle on.
The conclusion stated that it can indeed be a tool to help during screening processes as an early on-set biomarker. I chose this article because I found it fascinating how not only with technology in radiation and machinery, but how through the own human body giving you signs through diverse organs- that you can find the answer before it is too late. I enjoyed this article part in due to it catching my attention on how they break down the fecal samples to complete a reverse transcription and isolate the RNA and then get down to the nitty gritty of the microRNAs.
The human body as easy as it looks is very complex and intricate, and we unfortunately, won’t ever know the end to its capabilities within itself. Feasibility of Fecal MicroRNAs as Novel Biomarkers for Pancreatic Cancer.
References Link, A. , Becker, V. , Goel, A. , Wex, T. , & Malfertheiner, P. (2012, August 8). PLOS ONE: Feasibility of Fecal MicroRNAs as Novel Biomarkers for Pancreatic Cancer. PLOS ONE : accelerating the publication of peer-reviewed science. Retrieved October 1, 2012, from http:// www. plosone. org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10. 1371%2Fjournal. pone. 0042933.