Hair's here for breast cancer
Monday, 12 May, 2008
Sydney biotech Fermiscan has completed a 2000-patient validation trial of its human hair test for breast cancer.
The trial, to compare results from current breast cancer screening methods like mammography and ultrasound - along with subsequent biopsy and pathology results - found that the Fermiscan test achieved 69 per cent accuracy.
The success rate went up to 75 per cent once samples from patients who had chemically treated their hair were excluded.
The test uses x-ray diffraction from synchrotron light to detect an unusual ring shape in the diffraction pattern of hair when a woman has breast cancer.
In a statement, Fermiscan said it will continue progress towards commercialising the test, which it hopes to market through women's health clinics.
For more on Fermiscan, see the May/June issue of ALS.
Australia's first cases of H5 avian influenza confirmed
Positive results for H5 avian influenza (bird flu) have been confirmed in two seabirds found in...
AusBiotech partners with Tenmile
Designed to support Australia's homegrown life sciences innovation, AusBiotech has announced...
Australian CDC issues update in wake of Ebola outbreak
After the WHO determined the outbreak of Ebola in the DRC and Uganda to be a public health...
