https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/15/proteins-blood-cancer-warning-seven-years-study [p] Skip to main contentSkip to navigation Close dialogue1/1Next imagePrevious imageToggle caption Skip to navigation Print subscriptions Sign in Search jobs Search US edition[ ] * US edition * UK edition * Australia edition * Europe edition * International edition The Guardian - Back to homeThe Guardian [ ] * News * Opinion * Sport * Culture * Lifestyle ShowMoreShow More * [ ]News + View all News + US news + US elections 2024 + Donald Trump trials + World news + Environment + Ukraine + Soccer + Business + Tech + Science + Newsletters + Wellness * [ ]Opinion + View all Opinion + The Guardian view + Columnists + Letters + Opinion videos + Cartoons * [ ]Sport + View all Sport + Soccer + NFL + Tennis + MLB + MLS + NBA + NHL + F1 + Golf * [ ]Culture + View all Culture + Film + Books + Music + Art & design + TV & radio + Stage + Classical + Games * [ ]Lifestyle + View all Lifestyle + Wellness + Fashion + Food + Recipes + Love & sex + Home & garden + Health & fitness + Family + Travel + Money * Search input [ ] google-search Search + Support us + Print subscriptions * [ ]US edition + UK edition + Australia edition + Europe edition + International edition * + Search jobs + Digital Archive + Guardian Licensing + About Us + The Guardian app + Video + Podcasts + Pictures + Inside the Guardian + Guardian Weekly + Crosswords + Wordiply + Corrections * + Search jobs + Digital Archive + Guardian Licensing + About Us * US * US elections 2024 * Donald Trump trials * World * Environment * Ukraine * Soccer * Business * Tech * Science * Newsletters * Wellness A test tube containing a blood sample [ ] The study found 107 proteins associated with cancers diagnosed more than seven years after the patient's blood sample was collected. Photograph: Simon Dawson/PA View image in fullscreen The study found 107 proteins associated with cancers diagnosed more than seven years after the patient's blood sample was collected. Photograph: Simon Dawson/PA Cancer research Proteins in blood could provide early cancer warning 'by more than seven years' Study identifies 618 proteins linked to 19 types of cancer, which could lead to much earlier detection Anna Bawden Health and social affairs correspondent Wed 15 May 2024 05.00 EDTLast modified on Wed 15 May 2024 15.43 EDT Share Proteins in the blood could warn people of cancer more than seven years before it is diagnosed, according to research. Scientists at the University of Oxford studied blood samples from more than 44,000 people in the UK Biobank, including over 4,900 people who subsequently had a cancer diagnosis. They compared the proteins of people who did and did not go on to be diagnosed with cancer and identified 618 proteins linked to 19 types of cancer, including colon, lung, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and liver. The study, funded by Cancer Research UK and published in Nature Communications, also found 107 proteins associated with cancers diagnosed more than seven years after the patient's blood sample was collected and 182 proteins that were strongly associated with a cancer diagnosis within three years. The authors concluded that some of these proteins could be used to detect cancer much earlier and potentially provide new treatment options, though further research was needed. Dr Keren Papier, a senior nutritional epidemiologist at Oxford Population Health at the University of Oxford and joint first author of the study, said: "To save more lives from cancer, we need to better understand what happens at the earliest stages of the disease ... [and] how the proteins in our blood can affect our risk of cancer. Now we need to study these proteins in depth to see which ones could be reliably used for prevention." A second linked study looking at genetic data from more than 300,000 cancer cases found 40 proteins in the blood that influenced someone's risk of getting nine types of cancer. While altering these proteins may increase or decrease the chances of someone developing cancer, in some cases this could lead to unintended side-effects, the authors found. Mark Lawler, the chair in translational cancer genomics and professor of digital health at Queen's University Belfast, said: "The data are impressive - finding evidence of cancer before it has manifested itself clinically provides a critical window of opportunity to treat with a greater chance for success, or even more importantly to achieve the holy grail of preventing cancer before it can even occur. More work to be done, but an important step forward in a disease that affects one in two of UK citizens during their lives." Lawrence Young, a professor of molecular oncology at the University of Warwick, said the findings were another step towards identifying markers of increased cancer risk as well as those aiding early cancer diagnosis. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to First Edition Free daily newsletter Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters Enter your email address [ ]Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion "Determining protein changes that precede the development of cancer is not only important in identifying high-risk individuals but could also provide insights into factors responsible for causing cancer." 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