Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a malignancy with a poor prognosis and is estimated to become one of the leading causes of death from cancer by the end of the decade. Only early diagnosis may alter this adverse trend.
To select a group of patients at risk of pancreatic cancer, an effective biomarker is required. The main objective of the pilot study is to identify a new specific spectral biomarker of pancreatic cancer using unpolarized methods of molecular spectroscopy (Raman spectroscopy) in combination with chiroptical methods that are inherently sensitive to structural changes of chiral molecules (electronic circular dichroism and Raman optical activity).
Methods: Blood samples were collected from 10 patients with pancreatic cancer and 23 healthy controls. Subsequently, blood plasma was separated and preserved.
The obtained samples were analysed using a combination of chiroptical and vibrational spectroscopies. Results: In a pilot study with a limited number of samples, the sensitivity of the established statistical model reached 85-90% after cross-validation.
The results are better in comparison with so far the only clinically available biomarker CA-19-9. Conclusion: The obtained results are suitable for further testing in a larger group of patients.
The spectroscopic examination of high-risk patients may form part of a screening process.