A team of engineers, by using probiotics, has devised a new way to detect cancer that metastasize to the liver. Those patients with liver's cancer have a higher survival rate, so there’s a particular need for detecting its early metastasis. The researchers programmed a strain of bacteria E. coli to produce a luminescent signal that can be detected with a urine test.
Previous studies had shown that bacteria E. coli can penetrate and grow in the tumor microenvironment, where there are lots of nutrients and the body’s immune system is compromised. Because of this, scientists have been trying to develop bacteria as a possible vehicle for cancer treatment. The researchers decided to investigate the possibility of delivering the bacteria orally. This allowed the team to develop a diagnostic specialized for liver tumors. In tests in mice with colon cancer that has spread to the liver, the probiotic bacteria colonized nearly 90% of the metastatic tumors. The researchers focused on the liver because it is difficult to diagnose metastatic tumors there. With the new system, they can detect bigger liver tumors offering more sensitivity than imaging methods. The MIT team is now pursuing the idea of using probiotic bacteria to treat cancer, as well as for diagnosing it.
Source: Anne Trafton, MIT News
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