Cancer Imaging Research Advancing at Cincinnati

Despite all the leaps and bounds we’ve seen in recent years in cancer research, there’s always more to improve on when it comes to detection and treatment of cancer. Take for example the case of Wayne Wentzel, who underwent eight biopsies over fourteen years, which all tested negative for cancer. It wasn’t until he reached The University of Cincinnati that he got the answers and treatment he was seeking.

The warning sign for Wentzel was his rising prostate specific antigen (PSA) level. A rising PSA level can signify the early stages of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer afflicts one in six men, and is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, according to an earlier UC paper. Therefore, it’s not hard to see why Wentzel would want to be especially thorough and adamant in his quest for cancer diagnoses. This quest took him across state borders to four different hospitals, all of which performed standard biopsies. “The biopsies were painful and got me nowhere,” says Wentzel of this period. In total, he had 52 tissue samples removed, and each one tested negative for cancer.

Enter Sadhna Verma (right), MD, of the University of Cincinnati. She’s a radiologist that combines magnetic resonance and 3T spectroscopy to image the body. These images are used to form a diagnosis before the use of invasive measures. Verma’s philosophy is to identify precisely the stage of prostate cancer present, which can make a difference in the proper medical response. "Men have several choices when it comes to prostate cancer treatment. Accuracy of staging is critical for choosing the approach that is right for each individual.”  In Wentzel’s case, Verma was able to immediately locate a mass in the prostate, which was examined and confirmed to be the result of Gleason grade 7 prostate cancer. The mass was removed successfully in August of this year.

(images courtesy of the University of Cincinnati)

The groundbreaking MRI and spectroscopy research at the University of Cincinnati is only just beginning. So far, the applications look promising and the tests have been successful, as we see here. For more detailed information about Cincinnati research and the funding related to it, see our Cincinnati funding report:

The University of Cincinnati will be home to Biotechnology Calendar’s Cincinnati Bioresearch Product Faire™ on August 7, 2013. This is a great opportunity for life science researchers, purchasing agents, and laboratory product vendors to network and discuss laboratory techniques and technologies. Biotechnology Calendar, Inc. has been bringing life science research trade shows to top research campuses for 20 years now. If this show sounds like a good fit for you, click the button below. If you’d like to attend a show closer to home, please see our 2013 schedule.