Molecular diagnostics
Cancer diagnosis: eliminate the human factor
Alexey Maksimov, "New Siberia"
Cancer is an insidious disease that creeps up unnoticed. The high mortality from it is due not so much to the lack of effective treatment methods as to late diagnosis. Moreover, even when there are some suspicions of cancer, the existing methods themselves do not allow an accurate diagnosis. Therefore, many specialized research institutes of the world are dealing with this problem today.
A new method to improve the accuracy of preoperative cancer diagnosis has been developed at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology SB RAS. Says senior researcher of the Institute Sergey Evgenievich Titov:
"Now the preoperative diagnosis of malignant diseases is mainly based on morphological methods: the material for analysis obtained during a tumor biopsy is examined under a microscope and, based on certain cytological signs, it is concluded whether it is a benign tumor or malignant. At the same time, the accuracy of morphological methods depends to a large extent on the specific specialist who does the analysis: on his experience, knowledge, condition – whether he is ready to take responsibility and say that a person has a malignant tumor. In general, this is a good diagnostic method, but it is largely subjective, limited by the human factor."
The IMKB SB RAS has developed a method of molecular genetic diagnostics based on the analysis of the expression levels of microRNAs and oncogenes. This is how Sergey Titov describes its essence:
"We use the detection of molecular markers. What is it? Firstly, these are somatic mutations that occur during human life and often lead to the development of oncopathology. Secondly, it is the number of matrix RNA oncogenes (bad if there are many of them) or, conversely, tumor suppressor genes (bad if there are few of them). And, thirdly, it is a microRNA - a class of small regulatory RNAs that control the expression of protein–coding genes. Based on the analysis of the number or presence of these markers, we conclude: malignant tumor or benign. This method is based on objective data, and this is an important step forward in the development of diagnostics."
The method has greater sensitivity than traditional diagnostics: it is possible to detect small changes that are not always noticeable to the eye, even armed with a microscope.
Now the method is being tested in cooperation with doctors: they provide scientists with material for research and receive the results of analyses. Thus, it is possible to compare the effectiveness of the traditional method and the method developed at the IMKB SB RAS. So far, molecular genetic diagnostics is not included in the standard set of tools used in clinical practice, but scientists are confident that it is the future.
The method allows you to diagnose all types of malignant diseases. The Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology SB RAS started with thyroid cancer, now they are working with breast cancer, cervical cancer, brain tumors.
IMKB is not alone in its research – similar studies are conducted in many laboratories around the world. So the institute is in the global trend and in some ways even defines it.
The Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology SB RAS is a research institute established in 2011 as a result of reorganization Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS. The initiator of the creation of the Institute and its first head is Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Igor Fedorovich Zhimulev. The staff of the Institute has 1 academician, 9 doctors and 42 candidates of sciences. The Institute's areas of activity are: the structure, functions and evolution of chromosomes, genomics, immunogenetics, cell cycle and cell division, the genome of the indigenous inhabitants of Siberia, cellular technologies in medicine.
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