Indian doctors will now be able to advanced-stage cancer cells in patients’ blood streams through a simple finger-prick test instead of conducting complicated biopsies.

The Circulating Tumour Cell (CTC) technology is an innovation of the US-based Celsee Diagnostics and is used to detect cancers in the third and fourth stage. It’s used for breast, prostate, colon and lung cancers and will soon include bladder, skin, pancreas and liver cancers.

“The test needs only 2-4 millilitres of blood, which is what’s collected for routine tests such as complete blood count, haemoglobin test etc, which makes it painless and easier compared to the surgical biopsy,” Kalyan Handique, president and chief executive officer, Celsee Diagnostics told HT over the phone. Since the results of CTC can be provided within few hours, patients can start treatment at once, he added....................Read more

Source: Hindustan Times