New light-based technique shows 90% accuracy in early detection of prostate cancer

An Aston University researcher has used light to take the first step towards a faster, cheaper and less painful technique for detecting cancer.

Professor Igor Meglinski from the university’s Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies led the team that developed a new method to analyse the crystals in dehydrated blood. Their paper “Insights into polycrystalline microstructure of blood films with 3D Mueller matrix imaging approach” is published in the journal Scientific reports.

Professor Meglinski used a new polarization-based image reconstruction technique to analyze polycrystalline structures in dried blood samples. The proteins in blood change shape and how they fit together during the early stages of diseases such as cancer. Professor Meglinski and his team used changes in the tertiary structure, or unique 3D shape, of the proteins together with the quaternary structure (the way multiple proteins fit together) to detect and classify cells.

This technique allowed the researchers to perform a detailed, layer-by-layer analysis of dried blood smears, which is crucial for identifying significant differences between healthy and cancerous samples.

The researchers analyzed 108 blood samples from three equal-sized groups: healthy volunteers, volunteers with prostate cancer, and a third group that had the disease and had cells that spread more aggressively.

Professor Meglinski said: “Our study introduces a groundbreaking technique in the field of liquid biopsy, which fits in with the ongoing search for non-invasive, reliable and efficient diagnostic methods. A key advance in our study is the characterisation of the mean, variance, skewness and kurtosis of cell distributions, which is crucial for identifying significant differences between healthy and cancerous samples.

“This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for cancer diagnosis and monitoring, representing a major step forward in the field of personalized medicine and oncology.”

The study findings had a 90% accuracy rate for both early diagnosis and classification of cancer, which is much higher than existing screening methods. In addition, the technique is less traumatic and risky for patients, as it relies on blood samples instead of tissue biopsies.

Professor Meglinski added: “This high level of precision, combined with the non-invasive nature of the technique, marks a significant advance in liquid biopsy technology. It has enormous potential to revolutionise cancer diagnosis, early detection, patient stratification and monitoring, thereby vastly improving patient care and treatment outcomes.

“This study is also a testament to the resilience and support of our Ukrainian colleagues involved in the research, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.”