Overcoming Conventional Methods of Diagnosing Cancer
Overcoming Conventional Methods of Diagnosing Cancer
  • Reporter Lee Mi-yeon
  • 승인 2018.03.28 13:04
  • 댓글 0
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▲From left, Prof. Kim Sung-jee · Kim Ki-hean · Myung Seung-jae
▲From left, Prof. Kim Sung-jee · Kim Ki-hean · Myung Seung-jae

According to the Korea National Statistical Office, colorectal cancer ranked third in the leading cause of death in the nation’s mortality, an increase of 73% in just 15 years from 2001. The reason why the mortality rate is so high is due to the difficulty in detecting cancer in the early stages. Importantly, if found in the beginning, not only the survival rate, but also the progress of treatment is favorable.


Through Professor Kim Sung-jee (CHEM) who has collaborated with Kim Ki-hean (ME), and Myung Seung-jae, developed a method to diagnose colorectal cancer using a fluorescent probe that responds to enzymes and quantum dot-antibody complex probes.


The research team observed λ-glutamyltranspeptidase, an enzyme which overexpresses on colorectal cancer. Using this material, they made a fluorescent probe that changes color when it contacts with the cancer. A quantum dot-antibody complex probe combines with MMP14 protein that overexpresses on colorectal cancer. This method can also diagnose cancer with the signal strength of the fluorescent materials, but it responded to incipient cancers, which are difficult to classify outwardly. “This method could be used for spraying on the parietal which is utilized to diagnose cancer using an endoscope as well as colorectal cancer,” Professor Park Young-rong said.