Nexus - 1806 - New Times Magazine-pages

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NEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCE responsible for more deaths in men in Australia than deaths in women from breast cancer. Results already published show the change for high- grade prostate cancer that is Gleason-graded greater than 4.0. A murine study shows that we can pick up this change at a much earlier stage than with any other biochemical or pathological test. (Source: Letter from Professor Veronica James to the Editor, September 201) est positive to he gene. These ests, however, ake weeks to complete, are extremely costly and cannot herefore be extended to all women and are at present limited to he high-risk group of persons whose mothers ad breast cancer. USING HAIR TO SCREEN FOR BREAST CANCER US Patent 6718007, issued 6 April 2004 igure be suena At present, a very sy expensive and time-consuming test is used to determine the carriers of genes, such as breast cancer genes. The technique of this invention provides a relatively low cost, approximately one-minute alternative test. It also offers a possible mass screening technique, for example, for breast cancer per se, with easy access to sample collection and handling. Such a_ test may replace Summary of Invention Considered at the microscopic evel, a single hair consists of a core (the medulla) surrounded by an intermediate layer (the cortex) and hen by a thin outer envelope (the cuticle). The cortex can be considered as a continuous network of alpha-keratin fibrils arranged parallel to the length of the hair and eld together by a cell membrane complex. During keratinisation in the ollicle, each individual cortical cel is wrapped in a plasma membrane, which is basically a biomolecular ayer of phospholipids, which acts as he adhesive between neighbouring cells. Such a regular array is ideally Field of the Invention he present invention relates to T: method of testing the presence of a gene responsible for a pathological state, or the pathological state itself, in biological material in which the molecules are regularly arrayed. Specifically, the present invention (see figure 1) relates to analysing hair for detecting the presence of BRCAI gene, the presence of breast cancer per se, the presence of prostate cancer and a confirmatory diagnosis for Alzheimer's disease. cortex to Such a_ test may replace mammography, which is not only expensive, requires attendance at various locations and from the woman's point of view is quite painful but also is not 100% reliable and in some cases is very difficult to Background Breast cancer is still a major cause of death in women in Australia. It has been established that approximately 14% of Australian women will have it during their life- time. However, if the cancer is diagnosed early enough, while it is still contained within the breast, there is approximately 98% chance of obtaining a total cure. An early low- cost diagnostic tool would be a major breakthrough in this area of medicine. The genes responsible for familial breast cancer have already been located and clinics are being formed to closely monitor those whose family members have been shown to interpret. BLACK HoLe BEHIND THE CENTRE CUSHION, — (Bees A GALACTIC [CT FINAUY DiScove RED WHAT HAPPENED To ouR LOOSE CHANGE, CAR KEYS, iPhone, PENS, Contact LENSES “AND THE Tv REMOTE... NEXUS ¢ 51 OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2011 www.nexusmagazine.com