CONNECTOR.AE 38 CONNECTOR.AE 39 HEALTH AND WELLNESS HEALTH AND WELLNESS A new and promising tool, the hPG80 blood test, is emerging as a game-changer in the UAE, offering a non-invasive and potentially more effective approach to detecting cancer at an early stage. With insights from leading medical experts, Connector’s latest health feature explores how the hPG80 test works, its benefits, limitations and what it means for patients at risk. How You Can Potentially Detect Cancer Early: All About hPG80 Blood Test According to the World Health Organisation, long-term projections show that by 2030, there would be a 1.8 fold increase in cancer incidence in the Arab world. Recent studies have revealed alarming facts about the increasing cases of cancer in the UAE, particularly among the younger population. Even though more data and studies are required to establish the exact causes and the specific types of cancer common among the UAE population, it is pertinent that we monitor our health and adjust lifestyles accordingly. One crucial component in taking such pre-emptive measures is the early detection of cancer symptoms in individuals. What Is The hPG80 Blood Test? In the evolving landscape of cancer diagnostics, early detection remains a cornerstone in improving treatment outcomes and survival rates, and hPG80 is a blood test that offers just that. According to Dr. Moustafa Al Daly, Consultant Medical Oncologist at Aster Hospital, Sharjah, “The hPG80 test is a promising diagnostic tool that can detect more than 16 different types of cancer. One of its key advantages is its ability to measure oncogenic hPG80, a biomarker expressed in tumour cells from various origins, making it useful for disease monitoring and potentially guiding therapy. Unlike traditional tumour markers that may only become elevated at later stages, hPG80 is linked to tumour burden and activity, offering valuable insights into disease progression”. Dr. Anwar Alroubaie, Consultant Medical Oncologist at Zulekha Hospital in Dubai, says, “In this test, the H stands for Human, PG is the progastrin protein and 80 is the the size of this protein, which is 80 amino acids, in the test. This test looks at the blood biomarker progastrin, which is a prohormone usually matured in gastrin in the g-cells of the stomach. In a healthy person, the progastrin is not detectable in their peripheral blood. If we detect this biomarker outside the cell which is called extracellular detection, then this would signify that the patient has a high risk of ‘‘The hPG80 test is a promising diagnostic tool that can detect more than 16 different types of cancer’’ developing cancer. We can use this test in other conditions too”. Dr. Annu Susan George, Consultant Medical Oncologist at Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital in Dubai explains, “The test has been shown to have high diagnostic accuracy, with specificity of greater than 90%, for certain types of cancer like lung cancer and liver cancer”. The blood test can be done through a simple ELISA technique to measure hPG80 concentrations in plasma samples, providing insights into potential cancer activity within the body. Advantages Of The hPG80 Test Traditional cancer detection methods, such as imaging scans and biopsies, often identify cancer only after noticeable symptoms appear. The hPG80 test offers a potential advantage by detecting cancerous activity earlier. Dr. Annu Susan George from Medcare Royal Specialty Hospital notes that the three main advantages of this test is that it is simple, it is useful in detection of many cancer types and the test can also be used for therapy response monitoring and disease monitoring in follow-up cases. Dr. Anwar Alroubaie from Zulekha Hospital adds, “With this test, It becomes easier to monitor and detect a relapse of the cancer. This is quite important for patients doing a follow-up after their cancer treatment”. Dr. Moustafa Al Daly fromAster Hospital says, “As a simple and safe blood test, it provides a less invasive alternative to traditional diagnostic methods”.
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