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Jrj84105 t1_jacnuvz wrote

Blood is basically an organ in and of itself.
Liquid biopsies and circulating tumor cell analysis isn’t a novel technology. The problem is that blood is just one of many places metastases may go, so it tends to be less informative than hoped.

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Velghast t1_jadgdj6 wrote

Exactly. Just because you're having a problem with your suspension doesn't mean it's going to show up in the oil.

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PM_me_storm_drains t1_jae1yik wrote

This is more like analyzing the oil and seeing metal flakes or drops of coolant.

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mrbrambles t1_jae4eqo wrote

Eh, it would if the oil constantly bathed every piece of the mechanics like blood does. Blood is the delivery system for payloads around the body. Cancer is going to metastasize either through the blood system or the lymph system (which dumps into the blood system).

Basically it’s more like setting up a DUI checkpoint to capture drunk drivers. Not going to catch them all, but if you set them up in the right places at the right time you’ll find some and learn you have a problem.

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OkBiscotti1140 t1_jaegvdh wrote

Yep. Looking at you negative Cancer Antigen 15-3 and Carcinoembryonic Antigen tests while I actively had untreated cancer.

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mrbrambles t1_jae4wb3 wrote

How do the metastatic cells travel to other sites in the body to metastasize? Blood or lymph systems. Sentinel lymph nodes and blood are ways to possibly monitor the shedding of metastatic cells, but won’t tell you where the end up. A cancer that isn’t shedding metastatic cells is much more treatable than one that is pumping cells into the circulatory system.

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