Blood test to spot cancer gets big boost from J&J

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE

BOSTON (AP) - A blood test so sensitive that it can spot a single cancer cell lurking among a billion healthy ones is moving one step closer to being available at your doctor's office.

Boston scientists who invented the test and health care giant Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) will announce Monday that they are joining forces to bring it to market. Four big cancer centers also will start studies using the experimental test this year.

Stray cancer cells in the blood mean that a tumor has spread or is likely to, many doctors believe. A test that can capture such cells has the potential to transform care for many types of cancer, especially breast, prostate, colon and lung.

Initially, doctors want to use the test to try to predict what treatments would be best for each patient's tumor and find out quickly if they are working.

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20110103/D9KGLQUG0.html

[xchrom]

1. i hope it's as good as it sounds. that would be great. nt

[right2bfree]

2. no doctors office for millions. nt

[wilt the stilt]

3. stop wasteful gov't spending

I believe the original experiments were partially funded by the NIH. Listen to the conservatives and stop this wasteful spending.

Don't be a Doctor like these guys be a Doctor like Coburn and Ron paul. Dedicated to enriching the rich. Screw humanity.

[fatbuckel]

4. With J&J at the helm, one should watch for metal shards and wood bits mixed in.

[Betty]

5. I;ve read that even healthy people have a few cancer cells

at any given time, but that the immune system takes care of that. Will this lead to treatments on people that don't need them?

[fatbuckel]

6. It`s all about the money; sometimes someone gets helped.

[Voice for Peace]

7. that was my first thought as well.

I'm sure that's exactly what will happen. It's probably already happening.

[drm604]

8. According to the article

this test is for cancer patients. It's not used to screen healthy patients.