Non-Invasive Method for Determining Glioma Tumor Malignancy Developed
Researchers at Hokkaido University use a luminescent europium complex to evaluate tumor malignancy, potentially enabling continuous detection of tumor activity.
- Researchers at Hokkaido University have developed a non-invasive method for determining the malignancy grade of glioma tumors, which account for 26.3% of all brain cancers.
- The method, known as the Cancer Grade Probing System (GPS), uses a water-soluble, luminescent europium complex introduced to model cells that mimic glioma.
- Changes in the lifetime of the europium complex's characteristic red-light emission are measured, with larger changes occurring in more malignant cells within the first three hours after the complex's introduction.
- The europium complex initially forms an aggregate with itself in the cell culture medium, but breaks into single molecules upon interaction with the tumor cells, causing changes in the complex's structure and emission lifetime.
- The researchers believe this method could enable continuous detection of tumor activity, providing crucial information for doctors when deciding on appropriate treatment strategies.
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