Fluorescent peptides may be able to detect early esophageal cancer

  Xinhua news agency, Washington, May 8 (Reporter Lin Xiaochun) a new imaging technology using fluorescent peptide may be used to detect early esophageal cancer, which can help early intervention treatment and improve the survival rate of patients, according to a new study in the United States   Researchers from the University of Michigan and other institutions reported in the Journal of Science Translational Medicine on August 8 that they sprayed fluorescent peptides on suspected pathological areas of esophageal tissue in 25 patients, and then used endoscopy to image these areas The results showed that the fluorescent peptide could make the precancerous and cancerous tissues bright, while the normal tissues remained dark   Many patients with esophageal cancer are in the late stage when they are found The reason why it is difficult to find this cancer early is that the lesions are usually flat structure, which has no significant characteristics different from normal tissue The team said they developed a fluorescent labeled synthetic peptide that specifically binds to precancerous lesions (Barrett's esophagus) and cancerous esophageal tissue, and has the ability to display flat cancerous lesions, making it possible to detect esophageal cancer early   Barrett's esophageal disease is caused by the reflux of gastric juice into the esophagus, in which the acid damages the epidermis at the lower end of the esophagus Some esophageal cancers are developed from this disease, so it is often regarded as precancerous lesions   In the brief introduction of the paper, the editor of Science Translational Medicine commented that the fluorescent peptide is non-toxic to human and animals and can be used safely The new results pave the way for noninvasive tissue examination of esophageal cancer, and may enter clinical application in the near future.