Research, Technology and Innovation

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Catching cancer quickly through genomics

Imagine doctors being able to identify cancer very early, cheaply and accurately – and then treat the disease quickly and effectively using less toxic drugs.

“When cancer starts, it’s very, very tiny – there are only a few cells,” says Victor Ling, vice-president of discovery at the B.C. Cancer Agency.

The problem is finding those cells.

Now, with the advent of genomics technology, researchers are overcoming that problem. By combining new technologies and adapting existing techniques, researchers at the B.C. Cancer Agency have developed a means of tracking cancer at a molecular level. By understanding how cells transform into malignancies in common cancers, it is possible to identify biomarkers that indicate cancer development at a very early stage.

The next step is the translation of this knowledge into clinical detection and treatment practices. As Ling notes, “We’re nowhere near mining the knowledge that is potentially embedded in this information. We’ve only just scratched the surface.”

For more information, please visit http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/default.htm or http://www.genomebc.ca/research_tech/research_projects/health/cancer.htm.

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