Revolutionary blood test developed to diagnose lung cancer

The study demonstrated that Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy technology can detect individual circulating tumor cells in a blood sample. The development was developed by a multidisciplinary team from University Hospitals of the North Midlands (UHNM), Keele University and Loughborough University.

The method is based on sending powerful infrared radiation to a blood sample – similar in principle to the signal from a remote control, but much more intense. Because different chemical compounds absorb infrared light differently, tumor cells have a unique “chemical profile” that can be recognized by computer analysis of the absorption spectrum.

The technology could allow doctors to track the progress of cancer in real time using a routine blood test, the researchers say. An important advantage of the method is its relative simplicity and accessibility: standard glass slides, already used in pathology laboratories, are used to prepare samples, which facilitates the introduction of the technology into clinical practice.

The next step will be to test the method on larger groups of patients with the goal of creating a rapid, automated blood test that could eventually be integrated into cancer treatment regimens in the UK’s National Health Service. The team is also open to collaboration with clinical, scientific and industrial partners to further validate, improve and implement infrared spectroscopy-based diagnostic tools, as well as to develop new data analysis methods and computational technologies.