Leading insights
for transformative opportunities
MOVING BEYOND IN HEALTHCARE
INSIGHTS – ONCOLOGY – CEREBRO GLOBAL
NSCLC
NON-INVASIVE LIQUID BIOPSIES IN ONCOLOGY
Potentials for the future under study
The use of liquid biopsies in oncology has provided a real break-through by introducing a non-invasive detector and monitor for tumors and mutations that measures circulating epithelial cells (tumor cells) in whole blood. This technology is used for enumeration and phenotyping in patients with metastatic breast, colorectal or prostate cancer, but the wider use of this technique is potentially on the way.
The University of Manchester in the United Kingdom has been developing a model for small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to determine if these patients will be sensitive or resistant to initial chemotherapies, working with the U.S. National Cancer Institute. Professor Caroline Dive and her team at Cancer Research UK said, “…Our new collaboration will let us spot those likely to relapse and get in early with other treatments, improving how we care for these patients, and delivering better outcomes, faster.” Use of this technology in NSCLC broadens the potentials and could lead the way for wider use in other tumor types and patients. Using cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from various tumor types for predictive measure could someday become a reality.
INSIGHTS – ALZHEIMER’S – CEREBRO GLOBAL
ALZHEIMER’S AND GENETIC ETIOLOGY
New clues in understanding the genetics of AD
Similar to other major diseases Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex illness with multifactorial underlying potential causes, but scientists studying the connection between genetic markers and AD recently found 75 independent potential factors, including 42 brand new signals which were not previously known to be connected.
While the confidence of a connection to AD varies, the identification of these genes is a step forward in understanding the underlying pathophysiology of the disease and potential identification of risk factors in the population.
The future may provide the development of gene-specific treatments and personalized medicine to avoid development of AD.
Habil Zare, PhD, who conducted this work with his colleagues at the University of Texas Health Science Center, says “Now we have more clues, and hopefully we will have more promising targets in the near future.”
INSIGHTS – MEDICAL DEVICES – CEREBRO GLOBAL
MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
SURGERY USING SONIC BEAM TECHNOLOGY
The future of focused ultrasound is potentially astonishing
Histotripsy is the delivery of acoustic energy using high intensity sonic beam pulses via focused ultrasound, causing ablation by controlling micro bubbles. This new technique could revolutionize select surgeries – as it provides a non-invasive means of cutting without any external incision.
The new technology can possibly be used to reduce tumors in many types of cancers, reduce fibroids, and make incisions inside the body via ultrasound while the operator views results in real-time.
Trials are underway in many disease areas, but an important potential is its ability to liquify target cancer tissue – providing an alternative to both surgery and radiation.
Zhen Xu, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan says “We hope that this ultrasound technique can also be extended beyond local tumor ablation to treat tumor metastases.”
This new technology may well provide the ultimate non-invasive surgical procedure.
INSIGHTS – ONCOLOGY- CEREBRO GLOBAL
SIMPLE BLOOD TEST FOR CANCER DETECTION
50 Different cancers identified from a single test
An early detection tool called the Galleri Test offers the potential for recognizing the early stages of a broad array of cancers well before any visible symptoms.
While cancer screening is not new, traditional tests only looked for a single type of cancer. The benefit of this new option is to screen for a wide array of cancers using Next-Generation DNA Sequencing and machine learning.
This simple blood draw gives high accuracy insights never before available and promises new approaches for monitoring and detection of disease.
“If cancers can be detected early, we can dramatically improve patient outcomes,” said Dr Julia Feygin, a senior medical science liaison for the manufacturer of the new tests.
INSIGHTS – ONCOLOGY – CEREBRO GLOBAL
CRC
WHY IS COLORECTAL CANCER RISING IN THE YOUNG?
Researchers have more questions and speculations than facts
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is relatively rare but there is an alarming trend of diagnosed cases among those under age 50 worldwide, leaving healthcare professionals and researchers wondering why given that other health trends seem favorable.
For example, the cases of CRC in the United States have increased 51% since 1994 among those under age 50 (according the American Cancer Society). And this is important for both men and women; while older women are less likely than men to get CRC, females under 50 are almost as likely as men to receive the diagnosis.
The real danger of this trend is that the young are typically not being screened for CRC via colonoscopies which means that its discovery is only after disease progression, which means that cases may be at a later stage of disease when treatment is reactive and the outcomes are unfavorable.
Importantly, the risks for CRC in general (for all ages) can be reduced with weight loss, increased physical activity and a reduction in smoking. There hasn’t been a direct correlation with any of these factors or even genetics specifically in the young, but researchers are currently looking at how other elements may play a role – potential influences such as nutrition, the microbiome (gut bacteria), environmental influences, and inflammation.
“We don’t understand a lot about the causes, the biology, or how to prevent early onset of the disease,” said Phil Daschner, Program Director at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Thus, there is an urgent push to understand the underlying causes and at the same time a need for awareness (e.g., symptoms such as bowel issues) and a drive to increase screening among those under 50.
INSIGHTS – DIABETES – CEREBRO GLOBAL
DIABETES MANAGEMENT
THE FUTURE OF INSULIN TRACKING IS BLOOD-FREE
While new and improved therapies continue to be developed by the pharmaceutical industry, technology companies are also introducing non-invasive glucose monitoring devices which could mean the end of the never-ending “sticks” well-known to diabetic patients.
Non-invasive glucose monitoring is being developed by Glucotrack and others are coming soon, relying on various technology involving the measurement of electromagnetic fields (EMFs), ultrasound, infrared radiation, Raman spectra, thermal measurements, photoacoustic spectroscopy, and millimetre waves.
While most are still being developed, the picture is clear that diabetes management will be different for patients in the very near future. The only open question is how soon the average diabetic patient can employ them into their day-to-day routines.