Tezpur University Research Marks Major Step Toward Early Gallbladder Cancer Detection

Tezpur (Assam), Jan 10: Researchers at Tezpur University have identified specific blood-based metabolic markers that could aid in the early detection of gallbladder cancer, a disease known for its late diagnosis and high mortality rate. The study was conducted by the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology and focused on analysing blood samples from three groups—patients with gallbladder cancer without gallstones, patients with gallbladder cancer accompanied by gallstones, and individuals with gallstones but no cancer. Using advanced metabolomics and proteomic analysis, the researchers identified distinct chemical signatures capable of differentiating cancer cases, raising the possibility of developing non-invasive blood tests for early diagnosis. Gallbladder cancer is considered one of the most aggressive gastrointestinal cancers and has a notably high prevalence in Northeast India, making the findings particularly relevant for the region. The research was led by Assistant Professor Dr Pankaj Barah along with research scholar Dr Cinmoyee Baruah, and the findings have been published in the Journal of Proteome Research of the American Chemical Society. The study involved collaboration with several institutions, including Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh; Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati; Swagat Super Speciality Hospital; the CSIR–Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow; and the University of Illinois, USA. Researchers said the identified biomarkers show strong diagnostic potential but stressed that larger, multi-centre clinical studies will be required to validate the findings before they can be translated into routine clinical use.