Polish scientists are developing a diagnostic panel for detecting endometriosis. They are currently seeking partners for its further development.
Endometriosis, lung cancer, and breast cancer are hard to detect, but early diagnosis can save lives.. Scientists at the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences can help speed up their diagnosis. They are already developing a panel for endometriosis together with Prof. Piotr Laudanski of the Faculty of Medicine at WUM.
Endometriosis is one of the diseases that can be effectively and accurately diagnosed in its early stages. According to WHO data, this affliction affects 190 million women and girls worldwide, and in Poland up to one in ten Polish women of reproductive age. In many cases it leads to infertility, but above all it is a source of pain that is difficult to control.
– We are developing a diagnostic test that is both sensitive and reliable, yet minimally invasive. It’s a diagnostic panel that takes advantage of the benefits of mass spectrometry and can be carried out from a blood sample, even in young girls who have not yet had intercourse. Its proper design requires a properly planned study on a sufficiently large group of patients, says Professor Piotr Laudanski of the Department of Obstetrics, Women’s Diseases and Gynecology Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, WUM.
The development of the panel is primarily led by specialists from the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the Polish Academy of Sciences. However, its design requires well-planned studies involving a sufficiently large group of patients. As a result, collaboration with medical centers capable of conducting such research is crucial.
– We have already collected results from plasma analyses of a group of patients, but we plan to confirm the effectiveness of our panels on a broader, independent group of women. In the near future, we plan to enroll patients in the study at more than a dozen centers in Poland. We are also open to talks with further investors to implement such panels into clinical practice in the near future, Prof. Laudanski adds.
Biophysicist Professor Michał Dadlez, head of the Mass Spectrometry Laboratory at the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, explains that the Institute’s laboratory has the longest experience in the country in this type of research, the appropriate methodology and the most modern equipment.
– We are able to create diagnostic panels tailored to different needs. Panels can include dozens, and sometimes hundreds, of molecules. Unfortunately, without the involvement of doctors and the business community, the potential for their practical application remains untapped, ” he explains.
Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique that is used to qualitatively and quantitatively characterize the molecular composition of a test sample. It makes it possible to look for so-called markers, i.e. compounds or groups of compounds that indicate the existence of a particular disease or the possibility of its occurrence. Markers can also be useful in monitoring susceptibility to treatment.
– Mass spectrometry, although it has been in use for a long time, is currently undergoing intensive development, and we see a wider field for its application. This approach has the potential to change diagnostics, offering patients faster and more precise diagnosis of many more diseases, explains Prof. Dadlez of the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Mass spectrometry can also be used to create diagnostic panels that include multiple markers, which is particularly important for diseases for which a single characteristic parameter has so far not been identified. This potential of spectrometry is still untapped, and could improve the monitoring of many diseases.
Endometriosis is just one of many examples of diseases in which the use of a diagnostic panel based on mass spectrometry can significantly accelerate the diagnosis. Therefore, there is talk of a new opening for this technique. Similar panels would be desirable for other diseases that cannot be diagnosed by traditional methods, where single markers are determined and the timing of treatment implementation is critical to the outcome. These include cancers such as lung cancer or pancreatic cancer, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and many others.
– Mass spectrometry is also used in biopharmaceutical, environmental, toxicological and anti-doping tests, and even to check the conformity of goods with the manufacturer’s declaration, explains Prof. Dadlez.
The mass spectrometry method can be used to develop diagnostic panels encompassing multiple markers, which is particularly significant for diseases where no single characteristic parameter has been identified so far. This potential of mass spectrometry remains underutilized but could significantly enhance the monitoring of many diseases, experts believe.
The development of a final diagnostic panel and its subsequent implementation in routine diagnostics requires the involvement of large financial resources and the work of many specialists from various fields, including biotechnology, biology, medicine, diagnostics or statistics. The team of specialists from the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences is, as assured, ready to continue work in this area in collaboration with the business sector.
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