Shannon Hendrick
Current Event
Core Chemistry
4/19/15
In the article, Blood Test Shows Promise as Alternative to Cancer Biopsy, by Gina Kolata, the main point is to try and get across how a new cancer biopsy could be more accurate and efficient. Usually, surgeons use something called a cancer biopsy. During a cancer biopsy, surgeons must cut a piece of the patient’s tumor. However, a newly discovered alternative, called a liquid biopsy could be a better alternative. A liquid biopsy is a blood test where doctors will get data on the patient about the treatment assigned to see if it is working properly faster. “This could change forever the way we follow up not only response to treatments but also the emergence of resistance, and down the line could even be used for really early diagnosis,” said Dr. José Baselga, a physician in chief and chief medical officer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Many Cancer Institutes do not have the option to perform a liquid biopsy yet. And being a new study, it must be tested to make sure that it is working correctly. People have been testing liquid biopsies on certain cancers such as, lung cancer, colon cancer, and blood cancer. From the tests on these types of cancers, it seems that the liquid biopsy is a positive factor in finding early developments. “...the test predicted recurrences more than three months before they were noticeable on CT scans. The liquid biopsies also identified patients unlikely to respond to therapy.” This could be helpful in the future.
This article gives an immense amount of information as to how the liquid biopsy could be helpful in the near future. Not only does the test provide data much earlier than a cancer biopsy or a CT, but it is much easier to preform. A cancer biopsy or CT scan cannot be done every week, however, a blood test can. This would allow for more results to insure the doctors and patients that they are getting better,“I cannot do a weekly liver biopsy and see how things are going,” Dr. Baselga said. “But I can do a blood test every week”. The article also states that by finding out information about the cancer earlier, it will be easier to decipher if the patient needs stage 2 chemotherapy. This could be helpful in the future because chemotherapy is a very serious process that should only be done if completely necessary, and by finding out if the patient needs it earlier, there is a better chance that they will live.
Overall, I think that the author did a great job on writing and explaining what the article is about. It was helpful how the author got first hand sources about the new test: liquid biopsy. However, there is room for improvement. Within the first two paragraphs, there were already many words that I had to look up. I understand that it is probably because this is an article written for an adult, and it is on a very serious topic but it slowed down my thought process. “They call it the liquid biopsy, and it is a blood test that has only recently become feasible with the latest exquisitely sensitive techniques,” from this sentence, I did not know what the word feasible meant, but I looked it up and now know it means possible to do easily. Other than that, I think that this article was helpful in understanding what scientists think about the new liquid biopsy, and how it will be effective in the future.
Kolata, Gina. "Blood Test Shows Promise as Alternative to Cancer Biopsy." The New York Times. The New York Times, 19 Apr. 2015. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.
Kolata, Gina. "Blood Test Shows Promise as Alternative to Cancer Biopsy." The New York Times. The New York Times, 19 Apr. 2015. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/20/health/blood-test-shows-promise-as-alternative-to-cancer-biopsy.html?ref=science&_r=1
In this current event review by Shannon Hendrick, on the article New Blood Test Shows Promise in Cancer Fight.” By Gina Kolata had many good things in it. The first thing that I thought was well presented was how she used direct quotes from the article to further prove her point. She uses quotes from professionals like Dr. Jose Baselga, who work in the field. The second thing I think Shannon does well is I like how she would describe what the article was saying in her own words. This helps the reader get information that is very formal, from a doctor, but it also tells the main points of the article in an easier to understand way. Lastly, I like how she gives background on the topic, just in case some readers are unfamiliar about the topic. This makes some readers understand the article so much better, and will hook the audience easier.
Although it was a great review, it could have been better. I think that she used too many quotes, and it kind of over-powered the reader with so many large words from doctors. Although she tried to explain some of them, I think she could have done a better job on defining some of the words or giving information on companies. Secondly, I think that Shannon could have done a better job on organizing the format of her writing. I didn’t feel that there was a need for the middle paragraph, and that information could be put into one of the other two paragraphs. One thing that inspired me in the article is the topic. I know people who have been affected by cancer, and it has been such a struggle for them, and we are coming so close and doing the best that we can to find a cure, and I find the determination to find a cure amazing. Shannon’s article informed me and got me hooked on the topic.
Evelyn Kluemper
ReplyDelete4/23/15
Kolata, Gina. "Blood Test Shows Promise as Alternative to Cancer Biopsy." The New York Times. The New York Times, 19 Apr. 2015. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/20/health/blood-test-shows-promise-as-alternative-to-cancer-biopsy.html?ref=science&_r=1
Shannon’s review of the article “Blood Test Shows Promise as Alternative to Cancer Biopsy” by Gina Kolata was engaging. She includes quotes from an expert in the field who is involved in the experiments. Shannon also thoroughly explains what a liquid biopsy is. Finally, she includes how liquid biopsies are clearly more efficient than cancer biopsies and how these findings can be helpful in the future.
However, It would be interesting to know if there are any harmful factors of this new cancer biopsy. I would also like to know how accurate liquid biopsies are.
Overall this was a very well-written review. It is great to see advances in cancer research. From this review, I learned about cancer and liquid biopsies.