Breakthrough in Gallbladder Cancer Detection: New Blood Test Findings
Innovative Research from Tezpur University
Tezpur, Jan 10: A team of researchers at Tezpur University has discovered unique chemical markers in blood that can differentiate between gallbladder cancer cases with and without gallstones. This advancement could significantly enhance early detection of this aggressive and often overlooked cancer.
The study, spearheaded by Assistant Professor Dr. Pankaj Barah and research scholar Dr. Cinmoyee Baruah from the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, has been published in the ‘Journal of Proteome Research’ by the American Chemical Society.
According to the research, specific blood-based metabolic signatures could serve as potential biomarkers for gallbladder cancer.
Gallbladder cancer ranks among the most lethal gastrointestinal cancers, with a notably high prevalence in Northeast India, where it is the third most common cancer.
This disease is known for its silent progression, leading most patients to seek treatment only at advanced stages when options are limited.
While gallstones are a known risk factor, many individuals with gallstones do not develop cancer, and a considerable number of patients are diagnosed without any gallstone history.
The incidence of gallbladder cancer in Assam is expected to increase, highlighting the urgent need for effective early detection methods.
Dr. Barah stated, “Our research indicates that variations in certain blood metabolites can effectively differentiate between gallbladder cancer cases with and without gallstones. This opens the door for developing straightforward blood tests for earlier detection.”
This pioneering pilot study from Northeast India examined blood samples from three distinct groups: patients with gallbladder cancer without gallstones, those with both gallstones and cancer, and individuals with gallstones but no cancer.
Utilizing advanced metabolomics techniques, the researchers identified hundreds of altered metabolites—180 in cases without gallstones and 225 in those with gallstones.
They established distinct biomarker panels with high diagnostic accuracy for each group, many of which involved bile acids and amino acid derivatives associated with tumor progression.
The research was conducted through a collaborative effort involving surgeons, pathologists, pharmaceutical scientists, molecular biologists, and computational scientists.
Clinical insights were provided by Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh; Dr. B Borooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati; and Swagat Super-Speciality Hospital. Analytical and computational support came from the University of Illinois, Urbana–Champaign (USA), and the CSIR–Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow.
Dr. Gayatri Gogoi, a pathologist at Assam Medical College, emphasized the practical implications of the findings, stating, “This research connects tissue pathology with blood metabolomics, bridging the gap between laboratory findings and clinical diagnosis.”
Dr. Subhash Khanna, a prominent gastrointestinal surgeon in Guwahati, described the findings as crucial, noting, “The identification of blood-based metabolic markers offers a viable pathway for early diagnosis and informed clinical decision-making.”
While the researchers stress the need for larger, multi-center studies before clinical implementation, they believe this work lays a solid scientific groundwork for developing non-invasive screening tools, especially important for high-risk areas like Northeast India.