ears (frequency depends on individual risk factors), but only 25% of people do. And realistically, we couldn’t do this [perform colonoscopies] for everyone because of cost, waiting times, and many people just don’t like getting them.
The solution is to pre-screen. We could brush cells from inside the rectum – not requiring any prep – and analyze them to find alterations at the nanoscale. If the results are positive, the person would then have a colonoscopy. It would be easier to do, cheaper, and less invasive for the patient.
Colon cancer is just one example. This extends to other organs, like the pancreas. Right now, there is no early detection for pancreatic cancer. But, we can brush cells close to the pancreas using upper endoscopy and analyze them for nano-level changes. For lung cancer, we can brush cells from the inside of the cheek. Imagine—going to the dentist and being screened for lung cancer.
At what stage is the technology now?
Along with our clinical collaborators from Northshore University HealthSystem led by Dr. Hemant Roy, we’re in the early stages of clinical trials for all three (colon, lung, and pancreatic cancer), and we’ve studied several hundred patients. But we still need to study several thousand patients. So far, we’ve learned that the technology needs to be refined, and we’re working to find ways to make analyzing the cells faster.
What’s your vision for this technology long-term?
Basically, it could be like the pap smear for cervical cancer, the only really successful screening program for cancer. Cervical cancer used to be the number one cancer in women, and the introduction of the pap smear changed this dramatically. My dream is that a patient could come in for his or her annual physical and, at the same time, have cells brushed from a few areas to be screened for several major cancers. We could find these cancers sooner, and reduce mortality.
Katarina, a cancer survivor and mother of young children, was diagnosed with colon cancer while just in her mid-thirties. Four years later, she has become an advocate for other cancer patients, working closely with the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Colon Cancer Alliance, Gilda’s Club, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and the Lurie Cancer Center. We asked Katarina about sharing her experience as an “exception to the rule” to educate physicians-in-training, and advice she has for people facing a cancer diagnosis.
You were diagnosed in your mid-thirties, well below the age range for which doctors recommend regular colon-cancer screenings. How does this aspect of your experience influence your advocacy?
Despite having had all of the symptoms of colon cancer and having pursued medical intervention for quite some time, even I was shocked at my diagnosis, given my age and lifestyle. By virtue of my age, I became an advocate every time I told someone my story.
Currently, I am a member of the Lurie Patient Advisory Board, in part because of my commitment to Northwestern for the quality of care they’ve given me, but also because it is important to have a voice for younger people on the panel. [Younger people] can give a different perspective to the issues that all cancer patients face.
You’ve spoken to Northwestern Medicine physicians-in-training through the Lurie Cancer Center as well. What’s your key message for them?
I want to instill the importance of the exception to the rule. Colon cancer is typically associated with the aging population. When I speak to the residents, they can see my face – I’m a young person. Throughout their careers they’ll get patients who don’t fit the bill, and if they can diagnose the one young person with cancer, they’ve more than done their job. Because it is not just one person they’ve affected – it is that individual, their whole family, and their entire community.
If a physician had been willing to imagine early on that I might have colon cancer despite the fact that I had no risk factors, I never would have been a cancer patient. I would have been treated for pre-cancerous polyps. Unfortunately, that is the shame of