Tezpur University Study Identifies Blood Markers for Early Detection of Gallbladder Cancer

Researchers at Tezpur University have identified distinct blood-based chemical signatures that can differentiate gallbladder cancer cases with and without gallstones, offering hope for earlier diagnosis of the deadly disease. The study, led by Dr Pankaj Barah and Dr Cinmoyee Baruah, has been published in the Journal of Proteome Research.

Using advanced metabolomics, the team analysed blood samples from cancer patients with and without gallstones, as well as gallstone patients without cancer. They identified specific metabolic biomarkers with high diagnostic accuracy for each variant.

Gallbladder cancer has a high incidence in Northeast India and is often detected late. Researchers said the findings could pave the way for simple blood tests for early detection, though larger studies are needed before clinical use.