3 ms·

I've actually read about this before, but still never found any technical details about how the test works. My inner conspiracy theorist worries that a pharmace

I've actually read about this before, but still never found any technical details about how the test works. My inner conspiracy theorist worries that a pharmaceutical corporation has bought this idea up.

hirenj 14y ago
I was interested to see what criteria were used to measure performance, but I haven't found a paper written about it. The most detailed information I could find was from here: http://www.pancan.org/section_research/strategic_research_program/news/topic_maryland_science_fair_pancreatic_cancer_diagnosis.php http://www.pancan.org/section_research/strategic_research_pr... Essentially, this seems pretty damn early as far as results go. There will probably be a few years before we know it actually works or not.
- pcrh 14y ago
  Without wishing to rain on the kids parade... There are two aspects to the reported work. The first is the use of carbon nanotube biosensors incorporating antibodies. Google shows they've been around for a while and are reportedly more sensitive than previous methods. The second is using the levels of mesothelin to diagnose pancreatic cancer, this is less widely established, but was also recently reported by a different lab (http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0040157 http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjourna...). Putting the two together seems to be the work of Jack Andraka.
  - pyre 14y ago
    The fact that a 15 year old digested that information and put the two together is impressive in itself. Who cares if he was standing on the shoulders of giants? He bothered to gaze towards the horizon rather than at his own navel.
    - pcrh 14y ago
      I agree. Also, it's possible that his work will actually directly lead to a test for pancreatic cancer, though that would take more work to establish, obviously.
gavinlynch 14y ago
Why would that be a problem?
- molossus 14y ago
  The same reason that Exxon Mobile likes to keep patents on electric cars in its collection.

hirenj 14y ago

I was interested to see what criteria were used to measure performance, but I haven't found a paper written about it. The most detailed information I could find was from here: http://www.pancan.org/section_research/strategic_research_program/news/topic_maryland_science_fair_pancreatic_cancer_diagnosis.php http://www.pancan.org/section_research/strategic_research_pr... Essentially, this seems pretty damn early as far as results go. There will probably be a few years before we know it actually works or not.

pcrh 14y ago
Without wishing to rain on the kids parade... There are two aspects to the reported work. The first is the use of carbon nanotube biosensors incorporating antibodies. Google shows they've been around for a while and are reportedly more sensitive than previous methods. The second is using the levels of mesothelin to diagnose pancreatic cancer, this is less widely established, but was also recently reported by a different lab (http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0040157 http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjourna...). Putting the two together seems to be the work of Jack Andraka.
- pyre 14y ago
  The fact that a 15 year old digested that information and put the two together is impressive in itself. Who cares if he was standing on the shoulders of giants? He bothered to gaze towards the horizon rather than at his own navel.
  - pcrh 14y ago
    I agree. Also, it's possible that his work will actually directly lead to a test for pancreatic cancer, though that would take more work to establish, obviously.

gavinlynch 14y ago

Why would that be a problem?

molossus 14y ago
The same reason that Exxon Mobile likes to keep patents on electric cars in its collection.