Tomsk researchers have engineered a new technique for the preoperative assessment of lung cancer spread. This method promises to lower mortality rates and enhance the quality of life for patients, as communicated to TASS by the press service of the Siberian State Medical University (SSMU).
“Scholars from the Siberian Medical University and the Research Institute of Oncology at the Tomsk National Research Medical Center conducted a retrospective study on a cohort of individuals diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer. They successfully identified specific clinical and morphological indicators linked to the tumor’s dissemination via air spaces. Based on histological and immunohistochemical analysis of biopsy material, a predictive model for this airborne tumor spread has been developed. The proposal is to integrate this method into the routine practice of oncological facilities. A patent has already been secured for this invention,” the university stated.
Lung cancer stands as the leading cause of cancer-related fatalities among the Russian population. Oncologists are increasingly contemplating organ-sparing surgeries, aiming to excise only the malignant growth while preserving as much healthy lung tissue as possible. However, a subset of these patients experiences post-operative recurrence. One underlying factor is a distinct pattern of dissemination where malignant cells migrate through the lung’s air passages (alveoli).
Prior to surgery, accurately determining if the tumor has spread through the lung’s airspace pathways is nearly impossible. Computed tomography scans, and even frozen sections analyzed during the operation itself, frequently yield misleading outcomes, hindering the adoption of such methods in clinical settings.
Funding secured via a Russian Science Foundation (RSF) grant enables the university to advance its research to a higher echelon. The scientists plan to employ high-throughput chromatography-mass spectrometry. This technique focuses on analyzing metabolites—the end products of cellular metabolism—rather than the cell’s shape or structure (as done with microscopy). The foundation of this technique is metabolomic analysis, which involves studying the complete spectrum of metabolites present in a tissue sample.
“The primary practical outcome of this project will be a technology for the preoperative diagnosis of tumor spread through air spaces in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Ultimately, this aims to boost survival rates, diminish mortality, and uphold the quality of life for those afflicted,” commented Marina Zavyalova, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, and Head of the Department of Pathological Anatomy.
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