A research team in the UK has developed a groundbreaking blood test that could transform how doctors detect and track lung cancer.
The test, which uses a method called Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy, was able to find just one lung cancer cell in a patient’s blood. The findings were published in the journal Applied Spectroscopy.
This breakthrough was made possible by a team of scientists from the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, Keele University, and Loughborough University. They believe this method could make cancer testing faster, easier, and less invasive.
Professor Josep Sulé-Suso, who led the study, explained how the test works. The researchers used an advanced infrared scanning tool to look at a patient’s blood sample. They focused on what’s called the “chemical fingerprint” of cancer cells, which is a special pattern that shows up when light interacts with the chemicals inside the cell.
Using a powerful infrared light and computer software, the team was able to detect circulating tumor cells—also known as CTCs—in the blood. These are cancer cells that break away from tumors and travel through the bloodstream. CTCs are very important because they can show whether cancer is spreading or responding to treatment.
Current ways to detect these cells are expensive, time-consuming, and sometimes miss cancer cells altogether. That’s because CTCs can change shape and form while moving in the blood. But the new FT-IR method overcomes these problems.
The test works by shining a strong beam of infrared light on a blood sample placed on a regular glass slide. The chemicals in cancer cells absorb the light in a unique way, creating a pattern that the computer can recognize. This pattern acts like a signature that tells researchers whether cancer cells are in the blood.
What makes this new test exciting is that it’s affordable, quick, and uses tools already found in many hospital labs. That means it could easily become part of regular health care and help diagnose cancer earlier.
One of the scientists, Professor Paul Roach from Loughborough University, said this project is personal for him. He has lost family and friends to cancer, and he hopes this research will lead to earlier diagnosis and better outcomes for patients.
His lab helped develop the FT-IR technology used in the study, which is also being used to study microplastics and environmental pollution.
Next, the team plans to test their method in larger groups of patients. Their goal is to create a fully automated blood test that can be used in hospitals across the UK, including within the NHS. They’re also inviting other scientists and companies to work with them to improve and expand the technology.
If successful, this new method could help doctors find cancer sooner, offer better treatment options, and save lives. The hope is that one day, this technology won’t just help with lung cancer, but with many other types of cancer too.
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