Metastasis is responsible for over 90 % of cancer-related deaths. Yet little focus has been placed on the elusive cells responsible for spreading the disease, which circulate through the bloodstream, making identification and analysis challenging. The EU-funded SCALPEL project set out to save lives by developing a microchip device to detect and sort metastatic cells from blood samples.
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the EU. Researchers in the EU-funded Survive project examined how cells adapt to acidic conditions – a trait that can allow tumours to grow. Their findings highlight new ways to identify aggressive cancers, and point to potential new treatments to regulate acid resistance.
Liver disease kills over 130 000 people in Europe every year, driven by obesity, hepatitis and alcohol consumption. The EU-funded FORCE project developed a cutting-edge diagnostic tool to aid early detection of liver disease. The technique, which quantifies the elasticity of soft tissue, can also be used to monitor tumours, improving outcomes for patients undergoing cancer treatment.
Paediatric oncology researchers in Lithuania often lack opportunities for international research and training. The EU-funded TREL project helped place 32 specialists from Lithuania in Europe’s leading medical institutions. The programme is already having an impact on the treatment of paediatric cancers in Lithuania, and accelerating scientific excellence in this research area.
Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed too late for treatments to work. The EU-funded EARLYDETECT project developed innovative screening tools capable of detecting the disease early.
This will help patients receive the therapies they need sooner, before the disease spreads, saving the lives of citizens in the EU and beyond.
The effectiveness of photodynamic therapy is limited by the lack of oxygen in solid cancers. Now, EU-funded researchers have developed drug delivery nano-carriers to bring oxygen to the tumour site. This strategy could improve the effectiveness of this photodynamic therapy and help to save the lives of citizens affected by cancer.
Cancer and neglected tropical diseases impact millions of people every year. By identifying compounds that specifically target affected cells, EU-funded researchers have opened the door to potential new treatments. These medicines could save lives and benefit citizens both in Europe and around the world.
While researchers were busy developing a handheld device to rapidly detect biomarkers to guide the therapy in lung cancer, the pandemic struck. Realising their device could be adapted to test for coronavirus, researchers refocused their work. The result is the market’s smallest portable PCR device.
Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality in EU countries after cardiovascular diseases. The EU-funded uPET project developed a new scanning technique to locate and identify those tumours which present the greatest risk. The technique has been successfully tested on 400 patients and will support more targeted therapies.
Changes to the sugars attached to proteins have been linked with a range of human diseases, but the tools needed to detect this phenomenon have been lacking. The EU-funded GLYCOSURF project developed a new test that can detect these subtle alterations. The technique provides a robust and reliable way to provide early diagnoses.
