Rob Dillard

DocwireNews

A single drop of blood may identify <a href="https://www.docwirenews.com/docwire-pick/hem-onc-picks/fewer-larger-doses-of-radiotherapy-safe-effective-in-the-long-run-for-breast-cancer-patients/">radiation</a> sickness, according to the findings of a proof-of-concept study, published in journal&nbsp;Science Translational Medicine.Radiation sickness, or acute radiation syndrome (ARS), is a deadly condition caused by irradiation of major volume or the entire body by a high dose of penetrating radiation in a very short time period &ndash; usually a matter of minutes. Historically, the effects of radiation sickness have been seen through accidental exposures or mass casualty radiologic events, like the ones witnessed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II or even a reactor accident such as the one at Chernobyl in 1986.&ldquo;This new test uses a single drop of blood &ndash; collected from a simple finger prick &ndash; and results are ready in a few hours. It is rapid, scalable and can serve as a point-of-care-type diagnostic tool for real-time evaluation to screen a large number of individuals in a short time,&rdquo; says Naduparambil K. Jacob, PhD, an associate professor and scientist in the OSUCCC &ndash; James Translational Research Program in a <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-07/osuw-ssd071520.php">press release</a>.For this test, researchers compare the relative expression of two small molecules called microRNAs in the blood. The first is microRNA-150 &not;- which Jacob&rsquo;s lab identified several years ago as a biomarker to measure the extent of bone marrow damage. This microRNA decreases as a function of radiation dose while the normalizer, called microRNA-23a, does not change. Comparing these two molecular measures allows scientists to quantify the actual radiation dose absorbed, and therefore the overall exposure risk.&ldquo;We measure ionizing radiation in grays. People who are exposed to two gray need to be identified and treated and it is predicted that if you are exposed to about four gray to the whole body, without timely treatment there is a 50 percent chance of survival,&rdquo; says Jacob.Jacobs noted the test would have critical relevance in responding to mass casualty disaster scenario like that Chernobyl, to identify at-risk military personnel and civilians who need immediate treatment. Moreover, the tool is relevance for cancer patients, especially bone marrow transplant patients and others who have intense radiation therapy, where overdosing as well as underdosing is of concern.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Study: Single drop of blood could help rapidly detect radiation sickness &ndash; EurekAlert <a href="https://t.co/B4k7ivb2Kx">https://t.co/B4k7ivb2Kx</a> &bull; <a href="https://t.co/le73xfO7Nb">https://t.co/le73xfO7Nb</a>
&mdash; MedFirst &ndash; MedComms (@MedFirstLtd) <a href="https://twitter.com/MedFirstLtd/status/1283483355569246209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2020</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>&nbsp;&ldquo;Some patients develop major issues like thrombocytopenia and neutropenia as the result of radiation treatment. We can&rsquo;t look at a patient and determine how much radiation he or she has absorbed &ndash; but the impact can be cumulative. As a result, radiation sickness could occur weeks or months after the radiation therapy,&rdquo; explains Jacob. &ldquo;With additional research, this new testing method could potentially help oncologists measure &ndash; in real time &ndash; absorbed radiation and intervene before radiation sickness occurs.&rdquo;<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Study: Single drop of blood could help rapidly detect radiation sickness <a href="https://t.co/Rrh0grcO3b">https://t.co/Rrh0grcO3b</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/EurekAlert?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EurekAlert</a>
&mdash; Jacek Korneluk (@jacekkorneluk) <a href="https://twitter.com/jacekkorneluk/status/1283556908826152960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2020</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://t.co/sQI73OtOs0">https://t.co/sQI73OtOs0</a><a href="https://t.co/WhDZCaLDtf">https://t.co/WhDZCaLDtf</a> <a href="https://t.co/T59lg6riVX">https://t.co/T59lg6riVX</a>
&mdash; Naduparambil Jacob (@njacob86) <a href="https://twitter.com/njacob86/status/1283770064051687424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2020</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Jayme Locke, MD, MPH

Joel M. Topf, MD, FACP

The Promise of Xenotransplantation

NKF Spring Clinical Meetings 2025

Leah Lawrence

Real-World Data Backs Invasive DFS as Surrogate Endpoint for OS in EBC

HR Breast Cancer

Sacituzimab Govitecan Showed Modest Activity for CNS Metastases

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Latest News

Study: Simple Drop of Blood May Detect Radiation Sickness

Oncology

A single drop of blood may identify radiation sickness, according to the findings of a proof-of-concept study, published in journal Science Translational Medicine.
 ...

About Us

Editorial Policy

Advertising

Contact Us

eNewsletters

Contribute

Career Center

MashupMD

Blood Cancers Today

Cancer Nursing Today

GU Oncology Now

Urban Health Today

Bile Duct Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Gastroesophageal Cancer

Gastric Cancer

GEP-NETs

GIST

Liver Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer

GI Oncology Now

Anemia

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Essential Thrombocythemia

Hemophilia

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelofibrosis

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Polycythemia Vera

Pulmonary Embolism

Sickle Cell Disease

Thrombocytopenia

Thrombophilia

Thrombosis

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Venous Thromboembolism

von Willebrand Disease

Heme Today

Acute Kidney Injury

ADPKD

Anemia and Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease

COVID-19 and Kidney Disease

Diabetes and Hypertension

End-Stage Renal Disease

Gout

Hyperkalemia

IgAN

Kidney Transplantation

Metabolic Acidosis

Nephrology Times

HER2 Breast Cancer

Genetics & Breast Cancer

Breast Cancers Today

Atherosclerotic Disease

Atrial Fibrillation

Heart Failure

Hypertension

Interventional Cardiology

Lipid Management

Practice Tips With Dr. Lichaa

Preventive Cardiology

Stroke

Cardiology

Breast Cancer

Gynecologic Cancer

Head and Neck Cancer

Skin Cancer

Sleep

Urology

Diabetes

Ophthalmology

— Demodex Blepharitis

Neurology

Rheumatology

Gastroenterology

Pulmonology

Infectious Diseases

— HIV

Health and Wellness

Lupus

Future of Medicine

Orthopedics

Pharmacology

Career News

More

Conferences

CardioNerds

The Sleep Source With Dr. Morse

Rheumatology Rounds With Dr. Maheswaranathan

Partners

Expert Interviews

Subscribe