Hair X-ray test might spot early breast cancer
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Results of an animal study suggest that measuring the way X-Rays are diffracted when they pass through a hair could be used to diagnose breast cancer at an early stage, and monitor treatment results.
This bolsters findings from an earlier study and ongoing work by the same group of researchers.
In their initial study reported in 1999, Dr. Veronica James of the Australian National University, Canberra, and colleagues first suggested the possibility of diagnosing breast cancer by hair diffraction.
That report showed a link between the occurrence of breast cancer and changes in hair diffraction in affected individuals.
In their latest report, in the International Journal of Cancer, James’ team notes that their early work met with a great deal of interest and skepticism. Several groups tried unsuccessfully to replicate the findings.
To investigate further, the researchers looked at the change in the X-ray diffraction pattern of whiskers removed from mice before and 8 weeks after implantation of human breast cancer cells.
The findings confirmed what had been seen in human body hair. The diffraction pattern observed in whiskers correlated with the presence and replication of breast cancer cells.
“These results,” the researchers conclude, “indicate that as a non-invasive screening test, diffraction of hair would not only identify the presence of breast cancer at a much earlier stage than any other current method, but could also confirm the success of any treatment.”
SOURCE: International Journal of Cancer, May 10, 2005.
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