An end to invasive biopsies?
A simple, inexpensive blood test could diagnose a wide array of diseases including cancers, liver diseases, immune disorders and more.
Israa Sharkia preparing blood samples for DNA sequencing. Photo courtesy of Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Nobody enjoys getting a biopsy, where a tissue sample is surgically taken and analyzed in a lab for signs of disease such as cancer.
It’s not only unpleasant for the patient, but also has clinical drawbacks: a biopsy doesn’t always extract the diseased tissue and isn’t helpful in detecting disease at early stages.
These concerns have encouraged researchers to find less invasive and more accurate diagnostic methods.