New test developed for oesophageal cancer

Researchers at the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research at University College London have developed a test to detect cancer of the oesophagus which could improve survival rates.

The have devised a cheap and easy test that detects high levels of a protein called Mcm5, an early indication of the disease.

"The problem with oesophageal cancer is that patients present symptoms and the disease is fairly advanced and the prognosis is usually poor," said Dr Kai Stoeber, who reported the findings in the British Journal of Cancer.

"This is the first test to pick it up, hopefully, earlier."

Mcm5 is a minichromosome maintenance protein which plays a major role in cell division. High levels of the protein mean cells are dividing uncontrollably -- a hallmark of cancer.

The test would be available for people with a high risk of developing the illness or for a screening programme.

When Stoeber and his colleagues assessed the test on 40 patients it had an average of 85 percent accuracy in detecting the disease.

If results of a larger study involving thousands of people show it is equally effective, the new test could be widely available in about five years.

"Current tests rely on a pathologist or technician analysing cell changes through a microscope. But as the new test is chemical in nature it could be readily automated, making it suitable for screening large numbers of people," said Dr Stephen Middleton, who conducted a clinical trial of the test.

Oesophageal cancer is twice as common in men as in women. Smoking and drinking alcohol, especially together, increase the risk of developing the illness, which is most common in people in their 60s or older.

"There is a high incidence in the Far East and central Asia. A link has emerged now to pickled, salty and preserved foods which are specifically eaten in these corners of the world," said Stoeber.