Extracellular vesicles key to early cancer diagnosis: Research

Cells communicate with neighbouring or distant cells by secreting lipid-bound vesicles known as extracellular vesicles (EVs). All types of cells discharge EVs, which provide information about the originating cells and their physiological state. Because EVs can give these pieces of information, particularly in cancer progression, they’ve emerged as a novel source of non-invasive cancer biomarkers that could help diagnose and treat cancer early. Research work at the School of Science at Monash University Malaysia advances the understanding of how EVs help cancer progression by promoting cancer cells’ survival and mediating drug resistance. The team demonstrated that it was possible to detect cancer-specific proteins by examining the urine of patients with prostate cancer against healthy participants. The team analysed the EVs’ composition using a Fourier-transform infrared

(FTIR) spectroscopy, which helped them accurately determine which EVs originated from prostate cancer patients and healthy participants.