Latest news with #JohnsHopkinsUniversity
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First Post
15 hours ago
- Health
- First Post
How new blood test could reveal cancer long before symptoms appear
Scientists at Johns Hopkins University in the US have developed a new blood test that can detect signs of cancer up to three years before symptoms appear. When cancer is present, tumours release small fragments of genetic material into the bloodstream. Researchers found that these fragments can be identified in blood samples long before symptoms emerge. This could allow doctors to detect cancer much earlier than current screening methods, improving the chances of timely treatment read more This could let doctors find cancer much earlier than current screening methods. Pixabay/Representational Image Has a new way to detect cancer early been found? Scientists at Johns Hopkins University in the US have created a new blood test that can pick up signs of cancer up to three years before any symptoms appear. Why is this important? This could let doctors find cancer much earlier than current screening methods, giving people a better chance of getting treated in time. ALSO READ | British tourist dies after being 'scratched' by a pup in Morocco: How common are rabies deaths today? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The study was published in Cancer Discovery and carried out by teams from different Johns Hopkins centres. It was partly supported by the US National Institutes of Health. So, what is this new test? And what did the researchers discover from the study? Let's take a look: What the researchers found The study showed that small traces of cancer can be found in a person's blood as early as three years before they are formally diagnosed. This raises the possibility that doctors could one day spot cancer much sooner, when it is easier to treat or even cure. When someone has cancer, tumours release tiny fragments of genetic material into the bloodstream. The researchers found that this material can be detected in blood samples well before any symptoms show up. The study was carried out by teams from different Johns Hopkins centres. Pixabay/Representational Image Dr Yuxuan Wang, one of the study's authors, said, 'We were surprised to find cancer signals in the blood so early. Finding cancer three years earlier gives us a chance to treat it before it spreads.' To conduct the research, scientists used plasma samples from a major Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, which looks at risk factors linked to heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and other heart-related conditions, according to a press release. They examined blood from 26 people who were diagnosed with cancer within six months of giving the sample, and compared it with samples from 26 people who were not diagnosed with cancer. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Out of the 52 people, eight tested positive using a multi-cancer early detection (MCED) lab test and were later diagnosed with cancer within four months of their blood being drawn. Notably, MCED tests are an experimental method of screening that checks for signs of several types of cancer at the same time. According to the American Cancer Society, these tests can look for pieces of DNA, RNA or proteins from abnormal cells. In six of the eight cancer cases, the researchers went back to check earlier blood samples, taken more than three years before diagnosis. In four of those cases, cancer markers were already present. What do the results mean? Dr Bert Vogelstein, senior author and professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins, said, 'This study shows the promise of MCED tests in detecting cancers very early, and sets the benchmark sensitivities required for their success.' Dr Nickolas Papadopoulos, also a senior author and professor of oncology, added, 'Detecting cancers years before their clinical diagnosis could help provide management with a more favourable outcome. Of course, we need to determine the appropriate clinical follow-up after a positive test for such cancers.' At present, no MCED test has received full approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for general use. However, some are available commercially under more flexible rules as Laboratory Developed Tests. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD MCED tests are an experimental method of screening that checks for signs of several types of cancer at the same time. Pixabay/Representational Image Experts say MCED tests are not meant to replace current screening methods but could become useful tools for detecting cancers earlier, particularly those like colon cancer, which are often diagnosed at later stages. Of the eight participants whose cancers were picked up by the MCED test months before diagnosis, five later died from the disease. According to The New York Post, excluding non-melanoma skin cancers, more than two million new cancer cases are expected in the US in 2025, with over 618,000 people projected to die from the illness. That means nearly 1,700 deaths every day.
CBS News
15 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland sue U.S. Department of Defense over research funding cuts
Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland, College Park are fighting to protect millions of dollars in federal research funding, according to a lawsuit. The two universities, along with 10 others, are suing the department and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over an attempt to slash indirect cost rates to 15% for research funded by the department. In a memo issued on June 12, the Defense Department announced plans to cap the amount paid for indirect costs awarded on all research grants to 15%. According to the lawsuit, UMD currently has a 56% indirect costs rate, and JHU has a 55% rate. Indirect costs are resources used for operational expenses that are related to research activities. In a statement, Johns Hopkins said these costs are "necessary costs of conducting groundbreaking research that has made our nation the world's leading military superpower." How would cuts impact universities? Johns Hopkins University said the funds help offset a broad range of costs essential for its research, including equipment and electricity for labs, technical expertise and technological infrastructure, and other basic operational expenses. JHU said it has nearly 300 active Department of Defense grants totaling around $375 million across multiple years, with nearly half of that funding going to the School of Medicine and another 39% going to the Whiting School of Engineering. JHU's negotiated indirect cost rate for Department of Defense research grants was expected to remain at 55% through Fiscal Year 2026. Of the estimated $122 million in DOD funding that the university received in fiscal year 2024, nearly $90 million covered direct costs, and another $32 million accounted for the DOD's share of indirect costs. JHU co-invested to cover the remaining indirect costs. Johns Hopkins expects to receive similar amounts of DOD funding in fiscal years 2025 and 2026. However, if indirect costs are slashed, JHU said it could lose about $22 million. UMD receives approximately $125 million in DOD awards each year. The university could lose $7 million under Pete Hegseth's plan. Johns Hopkins grapples with federal funding cuts In February, Johns Hopkins University joined a federal lawsuit against the National Institutes of Health (NIH) after the agency announced that it would be limiting funding for indirect costs to 15%. That effort was blocked by a federal judge on June 17 after multiple states and institutions filed similar lawsuits. JHU lost more than $800 million from USAID grant terminations. Since January, 90 grants have ended, adding up to another $50 million in federal research funding. The university has been one of the top recipients of research funding from NIH. In June, the university announced it was pausing pay increases and reducing spending due to funding uncertainty.
Economic Times
19 hours ago
- Health
- Economic Times
Leaving meat is not enough: New study reveals the vegetarian diet your heart really needs
Going vegetarian doesn't automatically mean a healthier heart, warns a Johns Hopkins University study. People who ate processed plant-based foods faced a 65% higher risk of heart damage. The research urges a shift from just 'plant-based' to 'nutrient-rich,' advocating for whole grains, fruits, and legumes over fries and refined carbs to truly safeguard cardiovascular health. A new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology reveals that simply eliminating meat isn't enough to improve heart health. Researchers found that consuming unhealthy plant-based foods—like fries, chips, and refined grains—can raise cardiac risk markers. (Image: iStock) Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads When 'Plant-Based' Becomes Problematic A well-balanced plant-based diet for heart health should be rich in fibre, antioxidants, and low in saturated fats. (Image: iStoxk) Healthy Plants vs. Unhealthy Plants Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Not Just About What You Eliminate, But What You Choose Limitations and Real-World Impact For decades, giving up red meat has been seen as a fast track to better heart health . From lowering cholesterol to reducing blood pressure, the plant-based shift has been widely celebrated as a wholesome lifestyle choice. But new research suggests that this narrative needs a serious reality to The Mirror, a recent study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology and reported by News Medical, reveals a startling insight: not all plant-based diets are created equal, and simply cutting out meat may not be enough to protect your heart. In fact, some vegetarian diets could be doing more harm than study, led by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, analyzed the diets and heart health of more than 7,000 U.S. adults. What they found disrupts the usual assumptions about vegetarianism . Participants who consumed less healthy plant-based foods were found to have 65% higher chances of elevated cardiac troponin levels—biomarkers that indicate heart muscle damage and can be early warning signs of serious cardiac conditions like heart what exactly counts as less healthy plant food? The list may surprise you. It includes staples like French fries, mashed potatoes, potato or corn chips, and refined grains such as white rice, white bread, and sugary breakfast cereals. All technically vegetarian, but far from to the American Heart Association, a well-balanced plant-based diet should be rich in fibre, antioxidants, and low in saturated fats. Think whole grains, nuts, legumes, fruits, and leafy greens. These form the basis of the hPDI ( Healthful Plant-Based Diet Index) and the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)—two dietary models that were closely examined in the DASH diet, in particular, is designed to support individuals with high blood pressure. It emphasises vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins, while cutting back on sodium, sugar, and processed foods . Participants adhering to the DASH diet over 12 weeks showed a measurable reduction in heart disease of the key revelations of the study is this: eliminating animal-based food isn't inherently heart-healthy if it's replaced by processed, nutrient-poor vegetarian options. 'People often assume vegetarian equals healthy, but it's not that simple,' the researchers noted. It's the quality of plant-based foods that determines cardiovascular benefit—not just the absence of the study leaned on self-reported dietary habits—which can introduce bias—it still raises a critical point. The rush to embrace plant-based living must be accompanied by informed choices. It's not about rejecting meat, but about embracing better research aims to spark more nuanced conversations around diet culture, especially at a time when plant-based eating is trending globally. 'This could change the way we talk about vegetarianism,' experts believe—encouraging people not just to go green, but to go clean.
India Today
20 hours ago
- Health
- India Today
Blood test detects cancer DNA three years before diagnosis
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have found that tiny traces of cancer can be found in a person's blood up to three years before they are officially means doctors might one day be able to catch cancer much earlier, when it's easier to treat or even study, published in Cancer Discovery, was led by scientists from several Johns Hopkins institutions, and partly funded by the US National Institutes of WHAT DID THE STUDY FIND?When someone has cancer, their tumors release small bits of genetic material into the bloodstream. The researchers discovered that this material can show up in blood samples long before any signs of illness appear."We were surprised to find cancer signals in the blood so early. Finding cancer three years earlier gives us a chance to treat it before it spreads,' said Dr. Yuxuan Wang, one of the study team used blood samples from a large health study called ARIC, which has tracked people's heart and health data for many looked at blood from 52 people:26 people who were later diagnosed with cancer26 people who stayed cancer-freeOut of these, 8 people showed signs of cancer in their blood using a special lab test called MCED (Multicancer Early Detection). All 8 of these people were diagnosed with cancer within four months after their blood was 6 of those cases, researchers went back and checked older blood samples from the same people, taken more than three years before the diagnosis. In 4 of those cases, cancer markers were already present even back DOES THIS MEAN?The study highlights that a simple blood test might one day be able to spot cancer early, giving doctors and patients more time to act.'This kind of early detection could improve treatment and save lives," said Dr. Nickolas Papadopoulos, one of the senior the researchers stated that they need to determine the appropriate clinical follow-up after a positive test for such cancers.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Breakthrough blood test detects cancer years before symptoms appear
Scientists have developed a 'highly sensitive' blood test that could detect signs of cancerous tumours years before the first symptoms appear, an advance that could lead to better treatment outcomes for patients. Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University in the US found that genetic material shed by tumours can be detected in the bloodstream much before patients get their first diagnosis. The study, published in the journal Cancer Discovery, found that these genetic mutations caused by cancer, can be detected in the blood over three years in advance for some patients. 'Three years earlier provides time for intervention. The tumours are likely to be much less advanced and more likely to be curable,' said study co-author Yuxuan Wang. In the research, scientists assessed blood plasma samples collected from participants of a large NIH-funded study to investigate risk factors for heart attack, stroke, heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases. Researchers developed highly accurate and sensitive genome sequencing techniques to analyse blood samples from 52 of the earlier study's participants. Twenty-six of the participants were diagnosed with cancer within six months after sample collection, and 26 who were not diagnosed served as the control group for comparison. Eight of the 52 participants scored positively in a multicancer early detection (MCED) laboratory test conducted at the time their blood samples were taken. The MCED test is designed to detect multiple cancers in their early stages from a single blood sample by analysing cancer-signature molecules in the blood, including DNA and proteins. All eight were diagnosed with cancer within four months following blood collection. For six of these 8 participants, additional blood samples were collected about 3 to 3.5 years before cancer diagnosis. In four of these cases, mutations linked to tumour growth could be identified in their earlier blood samples. The findings point to 'the promise of MCED tests in detecting cancers very early', researchers say. It may lead to more standardised blood tests to screen people either annually or every two years, which could boost early detection and prevent cancers from becoming treatment-resistant tumours. 'These results demonstrate that it is possible to detect circulating tumour DNA more than three years prior to clinical diagnosis, and provide benchmark sensitivities required for this purpose,' scientists wrote. 'Detecting cancers years before their clinical diagnosis could help provide management with a more favourable outcome,' said Nickolas Papadopoulos, another author of the study. Scientists hope the findings can be validated in a larger-scale trial involving more participants.
