THE CHALLENGE
—Today’s State of Cancer Detection
Early detection is important because when abnormal tissue or cancer is found early, it may be easier for doctors to successfully treat their patients. Knowing the possible warning signs of cancer helps the early detection of a tumor. And screening tools can help doctors find and treat cancer early, before patients feel any symptoms. By the time symptoms appear, cancer may have begun to spread and be difficult to treat.
However, some screening methods may have potential harms as well as benefits, such as too invasive and can cause bleeding or other health problems. Many of today’s screening tests, unfortunately, give false-positive or false-negative results, or may lead to over-diagnosis and the subsequent overtreatment that patients endure. And some screening costs are too high for many individuals to afford.
Scientists are constantly working on developing better screening tools that provide highly accurate and fast results that are affordable and are less invasive and reduce the agony that patients may encounter in their cancer care.
THE NEED
—Simpler, More Accurate and Less Expensive Detection Tools
Early detection tools that reliably provide accurate results for doctors and patients are a major unmet clinical need. An accurate detection test that is safe, simple and affordable for all individuals would significantly reduce the burden of a cancer diagnosis and treatment and provide for longer and productive lives.
THE ANSWER
—High Impact Investing in Immune Response Detection Tool
Since its inception, the Asian Fund for Cancer Research (AFCR) has supported several cancer detection research programs which led to breakthroughs in basic science research and clinical treatment. And we never stop our work to find worthy and innovative approaches and make a commitment to support the dedicated scientists who are developing the next-generation of excellent cancer care.
AFCR is proud to support the OTraces detection tools-an innovative, promising early detection technology that more accurately detects the earliest stages of cancer-stage 0 and stage 1-before cancer has grown enough to be imaged. The OTraces technology can potentially detect multiple types of cancers in an annual blood screening test.
How is OTraces Early Detection Tools Different from other Methods?
The OTraces test tracks a panel of four proteins or cytokines-each with their own purpose-that are released from immune cells and called to action in the tumor microenvironment or TME. A fifth cancer-specific biomarker is included.
- The action of these TME active proteins is strongest when cancer is at the earliest stage 0 and stage 1. The OTraces test captures this strong signal at this earliest time.
- A patented sophisticated math- and physics-based technologies suppress background signals normally present in proteomic measurements and can interfere with diagnosis. With OTraces technology, the false positive or false negative rates are significantly lower than industry standards and current tests.
- In the same tube of blood collected during a patient’s annual examination, the OTraces detection test can be measured on the same assay platform currently used in every clinical chemistry laboratory. This will considerably lower the cost of cancer detection making it affordable for all individuals and families.
Clinical Validation
The OTraces blood test has been clinically validated to detect stage 0 and 1 cancers with 90%+ accuracy in breast, lung, prostate, pancreatic and other cancers.
THE IMPACT
——Improved Cancer Detection and Prevention
The OTraces early detection test is a simple, safe, affordable and accurate method to inform valuable information about the stage of a tumor, its degree of aggressiveness, and the immune system’s progress in suppressing the tumor. By monitoring a tumor’s growth via the immune system, a timely treatment plan can be developed to successfully treat early-stage cancer.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
—You Can Bring Hope of Life-Saving Cancer Care
With your continued support, we will be able to support the development of this innovative detection tool to help manage cancer.
Your support of AFCR will enable scientists to develop and bring into the clinics, new technologies that detect and diagnose the earliest stages of cancer, and then treatments that halt the cancer development or directly target cancer patient’s tumor. Your support will lead to more effective treatments with fewer side effects for patients.
AFCR is already leading the charge to cure cancer through the development of advanced technology for cancer treatments, and we can only do this because of your continued loyal support. With your donation, you are saving lives.
