- The global number of cancer cases is expected to hit 28.4 million by 2040.
- For most cancers, early detection and treatment can provide better outcomes.
- Researchers from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden have found that structural changes in sugar molecules that occur in cancer cells can help identify specific types of cancers.
- Scientists believe this research could eventually be used to develop a blood or saliva test for detecting cancer.
In 2020, about
Although there are currently no cures for any type of cancer, for most cancers the earlier it is detected and treated, the better the outcome. For this reason, scientists are constantly exploring
Contributing to this effort, a team of researchers from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, has recently found that structural changes in sugar molecules called
Scientists believe that with the help of
This study was recently published in the journal Cell Reports Methods.
According to Dr. Daniel Bojar, associate senior lecturer in bioinformatics at the University of Gothenburg and lead author of this study, glycans are complex sugar molecules that are attached to proteins and fats in our bodies.
“They are intricate chains of different sugar units linked together in various ways,” Dr. Bojar explained to Medical News Today. “If those connections are changed, the function of the glycan changes. In cancer, several processes can change glycans.”
“Mutations in the tumor may change the proteins that build up these sugar chains, leading to altered glycans,” he continued. “Additionally, inflammation and various other systemic conditions that…
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