This Liquid Biopsy Trick Could Save Lives

Published by www.israel21c.org on July 8, 2024.

Back in ancient Greece, medical whiz kids like Hippocrates and Alcmaeon of Croton were hot on the idea that blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile — known as the body’s “humors” — held the keys to the kingdom of good health and a long life.

While humorism theory has since fallen out of medical fashion, one of its core ideas has remained steadfast: There’s a lot to be gleaned from a closer look at the juices inside of our bodies.

Those juices have so much potential, in fact, that in recent months medtech experts around the world and specifically in Israel have developed a pioneering technique —“liquid biopsy” — that makes the examination of the body’s fluids even more useful.

In short, liquid biopsy is a non-invasive diagnostic procedure that involves analyzing substances such as blood, urine or cerebrospinal fluid to detect and monitor various medical conditions, notably cancer.

Unlike traditional biopsies that involve surgical tissue removal, liquid biopsies offer a less invasive alternative, reducing patient discomfort and eliminating associated risks.

Keep reading at israel21c.org.

OncoHost was founded in 2017 following more than a decade of academic research led by Chief Scientific Advisor and Technion Professor Yuval Shaked, who also serves as the head of the Rappaport Cancer Research Center.

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