Chocolates to be possible cancer detectors

Chocolate, fizzy drinks and other sugar-laden foods could soon be used to detect cancer, reported Daily Mail.

Scientists have developed a technique that identifies the disease by tracking how sugar is absorbed by the body. Malignant tumors consume much more glucose – a simple sugar – than healthy tissues in order to feed their rapid growth.

By adjusting an MRI scanner to look for glucose uptake, researchers at University College London discovered tumors glowed brightly during imaging, after something sweet had been consumed.

The breakthrough provides a safer and simpler alternative to standard radioactive techniques, and could be available in as little as 18 months.

Due to the need for radiation, the current method of scanning is not recommended for pregnant women and children, and only available at a limited number of larger hospitals and specialist centers.

In contrast, MRI facilities are commonplace, meaning less travel for patients. And as there are no adverse effects from the technique, it can be used on a frequent basis to track whether a cancer is responding to therapy and tailor a patient’s treatment.

As well as being cheaper and safer, the new method also raises hopes of improved survival rates.

Senior author Professor Mark Lythgoe, director of UCL’s Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging (CABI), said, “In the study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, the team tracked tumors in mice with bowel cancer.

"They found the cancerous growth was detectable by an MRI scanner following glucose ingestion."

The method has also been trialed on a handful of cancer patients with early signs of success.

He said, “It was promising. You could see the uptake of the glucose in the area around the tumour. Also, injection is not needed, so it will be good news for those who don’t like needles,” he added. (Daily Mail)