Researchers in Sweden have developed a method for determining and interpreting changes in sugar molecules in cancer cells. This discovery has the potential to enable the detection of cancer using a sample of saliva or blood in the future. Scientists worldwide are striving to diagnose cancer as early as possible to improve treatment and recovery rates. The University of Gothenburg’s research team may be on the right path towards achieving this goal with their breakthrough discovery.
The team focused on glycans, which are sugar molecule structures linked to the proteins in our cells. Changes in glycans’ structure can lead to inflammation or disease, prompting the researchers to develop a method to distinguish different types of structural changes, with the aim of precisely detecting a particular disease. The researchers have analyzed data from approximately 220 patients with various cancer diagnoses and identified differences in the glycan substructure depending on the type of cancer.
Daniel Bojar, the lead author of the study and an associate senior lecturer in bioinformatics at the University of Gothenburg, explained that their newly developed method, enhanced by AI, was able to find connections in large amounts of data. The team’s research has been published in the journal Cell Reports Methods, revealing their investment in a “state-of-the-art” mass spectrometer to serve as an artificial intelligence platform for improved precision and reliability in the search for biomarkers in glycan substructures.
Bojar emphasized the statistical significance of their results and their future plans to develop test methods based on the identified biomarkers. The ultimate goal is to create a reliable and rapid analytical method for cancer detection, potentially identifying the type of cancer through a blood sample or saliva. He expressed optimism about being able to perform clinical tests on human samples within the next four to five years.
