Liver cancer is one of the fastest growing cancers and is also one of the leading causes of cancer deaths.
According to Daniel Rotroff, PhD, Director of the Center for Quantitative Metabolic Research at the Lerner Research Institute, one reason why liver cancer is so deadly is because current means of detection include a blood test, which only catches about half of all cases.
Dr. Rotroff is working on a novel way to better detect liver cancer using a saliva-based test. His results have indicated that not only can liver cancer be detected in saliva, but it can be detected with approximately 80% accuracy.
“We think that this will provide opportunities not only to detect cancers that would have otherwise been missed, but we can make it more accessible to patients so that they don’t have to come in for a blood test and be able to take it from the comfort of their own home.”
He is thankful for the VeloSano funding, which in just a few short years has enabled his team to collect patient samples, generate and analyze the data, develop the models, and obtain the patent to pave the way for an actual point-of-care test for patients.
“These funds have allowed us to pursue the more creative ideas that we’ve had that we believe have the potential to transform cancer care,” said Dr. Rotroff.
100% For The Cure
