The groundbreaking scientific studies featured at the 2014 AACC this week will include research on a blood test for Alzheimer’s that uses biochip technology, a new test to diagnose colon cancer early, a more accurate method for determining multiple myeloma prognosis, a less stressful test for sleep apnea, and the development of a bank of biospecimens from pregnant women that could prove crucial for women’s health research. At the annual meeting, Michael Veitinger, PhD, a research associate at the Institute of Physiology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria, will present his findings that biochip array technology has the potential to reliably diagnose Alzheimer’s disease using blood samples.
Chuan-xin Wang, MD, PhD, director and professor of clinical laboratory medicine at China’s Shandong University, will present the results of a study to find new colorectal cancer biomarkers. Wang identified four microRNAs in the blood that were highly accurate in diagnosing colorectal cancer and were able to differentiate stage I and II patients from healthy controls. This discovery could enable doctors to diagnose patients when they are in the early stages of the disease and most likely to respond to treatment.
John Mills, PhD, a clinical chemistry fellow at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, will also present his findings on a highly sensitive mass spectrometry method known as miRAMM for detecting MRD in patients with multiple myeloma. Mills’ method uses blood samples, a more reliable test than traditional MRD tests that use bone marrow samples—because not all myeloma cells are confined to the bone marrow. This new method could increase survival rates of multiple myeloma patients by identifying those who need treatment for MRD.
In addition to this breaking science, 2014’s plenary sessions will feature expert presentations on the importance of newborn screening, the biologic basis of obesity, and the latest advances that could lead to a cure for HIV. Read more about what is being presented at the AACC.
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