Ruma Paul, a doctoral student in chemistry at UTEP, works in the lab on a device that can more easily and safely detect colorectal cancer. (Credit: UTEP)

Screening methods for the cancer can be unreliable and result in false positives. To remedy this problem, scientists are developing a less-invasive portable device that would use blood samples to detect colorectal cancers.

The device detects a colon cancer secreted protein known as CCSP-2. The protein’s presence in colon cancer cells is 78 times higher than in normal colon cells, making its occurrence in the body a strong indicator of cancer. CCSP-2 is also detectable in blood, the team said, which makes it an excellent biomarker; biomarkers are measurable biological “signals” that can indicate the presence of certain diseases.

The device, known as an electrochemical immunosensor, can be miniaturized and mass-produced, allowing it to potentially be used at home or in a doctor’s office. Before being available to patients, the device would have to be patented and go through clinical trials, which can take many years to complete.

The study is the first in a series of research projects that will test how suitable different biomarkers are to the portable device. The team is working to identify new proteins that are over-expressed in colon cancer tissues at different stages, which can be used as biomarkers and tested on the device.

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Topics:
Diagnostics Medical Product Development

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