lung cancer patients could benefit from a new technology 'QTA'

lung cancer patients could benefit from a new technology 'QTA' -

Lung cancer patients could benefit from a more precise treatment, and their progress can be better monitored, using a new method of high noninvasive imaging medical analysis technology, according to a study published today by the newspaper PLOS oNE .

genetic changes increasingly are recognized as driving the development of cancer. But obtaining evidence of such changes usually requires a biopsy, which can be problematic for sensitive areas of the body such as the lungs.

Based on a review of 48 cancer patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the study found that, by scanning their tumor cells using "based CT analysis quantitative texture "(QTA), researchers were able to determine - with almost 0 percent accuracy. - if the patient's tumor had a mutated K-ras gene causing cancer

study was conducted by researchers from the Institute of translational genomics research (TGen), Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare and Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA).

NSCLC accounts for over 85 percent of all lung cancers, which kill about 159,000 Americans this year, making it the leading cause of cancer deaths. It has a survival rate five years to less than 10 percent

QTA has been shown to be accurate. - and non-invasive - alternative to surgical biopsy and other invasive ways of collecting and analyzing biological samples, the study said. This method of genomic distinctions can help physicians determine the best type of treatment to be administered to each patient.

"The ability to quickly and non-invasively characterize NSCLC tumors would be a great asset to clinical oncologists," said Dr. Glen Weiss, lead author of the study, Director of Clinical Research and oncologist medical at cancer Treatment Centers of Western Regional medical center of America in Phoenix, and clinical Associate Professor in the Division of cancer TGen and cell biology.

"QTA applied to molecularly case NSCLC is defined to have a broader precision medicine by providing a non-invasive application identify the best therapies for each patient, "said Dr. Weiss.

Dr. Ronald Korn, medical director of Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Scottsdale Healthcare and lead author of the study, QTA described as an important step forward in the use of medical imaging: "Characterization non-invasive molecular characteristics of the tumor may improve the management of not. -invasive QTA treatment can differentiate the presence of the K-ras mutation pan-wild-type NSCLC. "

Dr. Korn is also head Executive and medical Director of imaging Endpoints, an important central imaging laboratory that provides centralized image management and advanced image interpretation for clinical trials. Thanks to Scottsdale Healthcare Research Institute, in collaboration with Imaging Endpoints central laboratory, this team has developed one of the only global radiology research laboratories specializing in the early detection and evaluation of the response (also known as the RADAR program).

"Although further studies are necessary to advance our RADAR program forward in routine medical practice, our basic laboratory remains focused on the characterization of tumors noninvasively through imaging and use of these technologies to help determine as soon as possible if the cancer treatments are working, sometimes within days to weeks after starting treatment, "said Dr. Korn.

Dr. Weiss said that future studies using QTA could also help identify other genomic subtypes of NSCLC.