Molecular Diagnostics

Image: A Manhattan plot of the study results show taller peaks that denote genetic loci most significantly associated with pancreatic cancer risk (Photo courtesy of Dr. Alison Klein, Johns Hopkins University).

Large Genomic Study Identifies New Pancreatic Cancer Risk Loci

A large genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified five new susceptibility loci for pancreatic cancer. More...
05 Mar 2018

Image: The Oncotype-Dx 21-gene recurrence score for predicting risk for metastatic breast cancer has been quickly adopted in clinical practice, but which is currently going through consultation (Photo courtesy of Genomic Health).

Multigene Breast Cancer Recurrence Signatures Tests Compared

A comparison of commercially available multigene breast cancer recurrence signatures suggests that some tests may be better than others at assessing which patients are at risk for late distant recurrence, which could be impacting oncologists' ability to guide appropriate treatment decisions for patients. More...
03 Mar 2018

Image: A diagram of colon cancer and a colon polyp; not all polyps are cancerous, but nearly all colorectal cancers begin as a polyp (Photo courtesy of Jefferson Health).

Colorectal Cancer Clues Provided by Polyp Profiles

Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops through progressive accumulation of alterations beginning with abnormal growth of the colon epithelium, which over time can transform to an adenomatous polyp and then cancer. More...
02 Mar 2018

Image: Diagrams for X-linked inheritance when cancer status is specific to women (all carrier men are effectively disease censored). Two family patterns with a pair of first-degree affected women are the maternal grandmother (MGM) family and the paternal grandmother (PGM) family (Photo courtesy of Roswell Park Cancer Institute).

Ovarian Cancer Risk May Be Paternally Inherited

A history of ovarian cancer among first-order relatives remains the strongest and best-characterized predictor of ovarian cancer risk and a main determinant of genetic testing referral. More...
01 Mar 2018

Kidney Biopsy Profiles Predict Delayed Graft Function

The probability of renal graft failure can be assessed for donor kidney biopsies through histological analyses; the potential for delayed graft function is not as easily determined by morphology alone, but could potentially be aided by molecular analysis. More...
28 Feb 2018

Image: Principle scheme of antibody detection by ADAP for HIV (Photo courtesy of Stanford University).

Novel Saliva-Based PCR Assay Detects HIV Antibodies Earlier

An oral fluid-based test for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) shows promise as a population-based screening tool. According to its developers, the test is easier to collect than blood but yields results that are just as reliable. More...
28 Feb 2018

$Image: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is found in serum and plasma fractions from blood. The mechanism of ctDNA release is unknown, though apoptosis, necrosis, and active secretion from tumor cells have been hypothesized (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons).$