- Title: CHINA: Doctors in Shanghai develop new technique to aid in eye cancer research
- Date: 6th January 2010
- Summary: SHANGHAI, CHINA (RECENT) (REUTERS) CHINESE DOCTORS, HUANG QIAN AND JI XUNDA, LOOKING AT LABORATORY MICE HUANG AND JI LAB MOUSE BEING HELD IN HUANG'S HANDS LAB MICE BEING EXAMINED HUANG AND JI WITH LAPTOP HUANG AND JI LOOKING AT LAPTOP LAPTOP SCREEN SHOWING SCANS OF LAB MICE WITH DIFFERENT KINDS OF TUMOURS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) DR. HUANG QIAN (LEFT OF SCREEN), SAYING: "We have used the BLI (Bioluminescence Imaging) technique to develop an animal model. The model enables us to very accurately observe the process and growth of tumours. Also, it can serve as a model for the treatment of such tumours, by enabling us to accurately and sensitively gauge the effectiveness of further treatment methods." JI WORKING BESIDE BIOLUMINESCENCE IMAGING (BLI) MACHINE JI LOOKING AT PREVIOUS SCANS OF MICE WITH EYE TUMOURS COMPUTER SCREEN SHOWING SCANS OF MICE WITH EYE TUMOURS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) DR. JI XUNDA (RIGHT OF SCREEN), SAYING: "By using this new animal model, we can avoid killing the mice. We can routinely use the BLI technique on these mice for the purposes of observation and detection. This technique is also very sensitive, so it can detect even the earliest and most minute spread of the tumours. And after that, we can keep on observing their growth. In this way, we can save some mice, as well as save time and energy." HUANG WORKING INSIDE LAB HUANG LOOKING ON HUANG WORKING ON CELL CULTURE (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) DR. HUANG QIAN, SAYING: "Our work would help the research on eye tumours and other malignant tumours. Our technique is also providing a good platform for those using animal models for their research, and others can improve and modify this for their work." HUANG AND JI RETURNING CONTAINER OF LAB MICE INTO HOLDING AREA HUANG AND JI SLOTTING CONTAINER INTO HOLDING AREA LAB MICE IN CONTAINER
- Embargoed: 21st January 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- Country: China
- Topics: Health
- Reuters ID: LVA6LYKBPPL5Z52E9C24LO36FDR2
- Story Text: Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a non-invasive technique that uses living organisms which make and emit light to map diseases in small laboratory animals.
A group of Chinese doctors led by Dr. Huang Qian (pron: hwang-cheeanne) of the Shanghai First People's Hospital say they were able to engineer human eye tumour cells to become bioluminescent and inject them into mice where BLI could be used to map their growth in the animals' eyes.
In humans with Retinoblastoma, an eye cancer that affects mainly children, the method will allow doctors to detect tumours earlier and, it's hoped, find treatments less invasive than surgery.
"We have used the BLI (Bioluminescence Imaging) technique to develop an animal model. The model enables us to very accurately observe the process and growth of tumours. Also, it can serve as a model for the treatment of such tumours, by enabling us to accurately and sensitively gauge the effectiveness of further treatment methods," said Huang.
For now, most doctors and researchers rely on the biopsy method to track the progression of eye cancer. Biopsies usually necessitate the killing of the laboratory mice in various stages to map the growth and spread of the cancer but the BLI method makes this unnecessary. The Chinese researchers say their method is also more sensitive in tracking the spread of the cancer.
"By using this new animal model, we can avoid killing the mice. We can routinely use the BLI technique on these mice for the purposes of observation and detection. This technique is also very sensitive, so it can detect even the earliest and most minute spread of the tumours. And after that, we can keep on observing their growth. In this way, we can save some mice, as well as save time and energy," said Dr. Ji Xunda (pron: gee-shoon-dah), a member of the research team.
The Chinese doctors said the breakthrough in their work will enable others to further improve on their model and better research eye cancer and tumours.
"Our work would help the research on eye tumours and other malignant tumours. Our technique is also providing a good platform for those using animal models for their research, and others can improve and modify this for their work," Huang said.
Their work is primarily aimed at the research into retinoblastoma, a rare type of eye cancer that almost always affects children under the age of five.
Retinoblastoma affects 1 in 15,000 children. It forms when developing cells in the retina -- the eye's main light sensor -- go haywire and start reproducing out of control.
Retinoblastoma tumors can develop in one or both of the child's eyes, and current treatment methods include chemotherapy, laser therapy and radiotherapy.
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