Finding cancer with a hand X-ray

-Researchers in Australia have found certain patterns on hand X-rays that may help diagnose cancer.
According to a report in the latest issue of International Journal of Cancer, certain patterns found on X-rays of skin and fingernails can provide an accurate diagnosis of certain cancers.

· Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States.  About 1.5 million cases of invasive cancer per year are diagnosed in the United States.
Early detection is vital to successful treatment.

· The authors of the study report that “in ways not yet understood, malignancies (cancer) elsewhere in the body appear to leave (a) molecular level ’signatures’ in hair, skin, and nail tissues as well as in the local tissues.”  These changes can be seen on routine X-rays.

· This study analyzed X-ray patterns of skin or finger nails of 197 subjects and 52 patients diagnosed with cancer (prostate, melanoma, breast, basal cell carcinoma).
Researchers reported that all 52 subjects with cancer had subtle changes seen on regular X-rays.

· This is exciting news.  The results indicate that someday a test as easy as a hand X-ray may be used in the early diagnosis of several types of cancer.

Cristopher Geiler, MD
Reference
Int J Cancer 2009;125:133-138.

Posted on July 27, 2009

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