Molecular Diagnostics

Germline Risk Variants Found in Prostate Cancer Patients

Studies done over the past five years or so have unearthed pathogenic germline variants in some 12% to 17% of men with prostate cancer, and such alterations can impact everything from the treatment options available to them, to the management strategies used for other members of the same family. More...
21 May 2020

Non-Invasive Blood Assay Can Detect Early Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). In general, colon cancer begins when healthy cells in the colon develop changes (mutations) in their DNA and as the cells accumulate, they form a tumor. More...
21 May 2020

New Blood Test Can Determine When an Individual Was Exposed to a Pathogenic Microorganism

An international research team has developed a diagnostic blood test – initially for the recurring form of vivax malaria – that can determine when an individual was exposed to a pathogenic microorganism, including the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. More...
19 May 2020

Image: Schematic diagram of Molecular Characterization Identifying Distinct Molecular Hallmarks of Renal Medullary Carcinoma (Photo courtesy of University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center).

Rare Kidney Cancer Marked by Molecular Features

Renal medullary carcinoma is a rare cancer of the kidney that predominantly afflicts young people of African descent who carry the sickle cell trait, sickle cell disease, or other sickle hemoglobinopathies that can cause sickling of the red blood cells. More...
19 May 2020

Image: Structure of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Higher Concentrations of COVID-19 Receptor Protein Found in Men’s Plasma

Results of a large-scale study revealed that plasma concentrations of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) were higher in men than in women, but use of neither an ACE inhibitor nor an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) was associated with higher plasma ACE2 concentrations. More...
18 May 2020

$Image: Schematic diagram of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) which is found in serum and plasma fractions from blood. The mechanism of ctDNA release is unknown, though apoptosis, necrosis, and active secretion from tumor cells have been hypothesized. Once ctDNA is isolated, it can be sequenced for mutational analysis (Photo courtesy of Rachel June Wong).$