Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
types of tissue. Thus the tissue related samples will be very heterogeneous, comprising several components
and different cell types. The main variations are in cell size, shape, morphology and ingredients. In order to
assume a powerful diagnosis method, it is very important to select a correct sampling method. While the
analysis of body fluids is going to earn a specific position in medical diagnosis, tissue investigation is a very
common route for diagnostic studies. It is well known that any disease effect will have an influence on bio-
fluids but clinical analysis in some cases are completely dependent on analytical assessment of the organ in
which the physician is in doubt about related to the disease. Cancer is a typical case of a disease in which
most of the diagnostic decisions are made according to tissue analysis. Oncologic diagnostics relies on the
efforts for differentiated observations which enable the physician to recognise of nature and determination of
the situation of disease. Abnormal distortion of the cellular structures is directly caused by quantitative or
qualitative changes in bio-active chemicals in tissues. The symptoms by which the clinical investigators make
the illness pattern recognition are also related to these changes in the chemical composition of the cells,
tissues and finally the organs. Thus IR spectroscopy could be a helpful tool which probes the changes in
molecular scale. Singular structure changes, intercellular variations and interactions between the tissue matrix
ingredients are all possible to monitor by IR spectroscopy. In this section we will review the possibilities of
applying this method as a green diagnostic tool for the detection of cancer. As reported in all the medical
reports, cancer, by about 13
of total rates, is known as the leading cause of death all around the world.
During 2005, more than 7 600 000 people died because of cancer. This statistic was increased to about 8 000
000 deaths during 2007 and is dramatically increased year by year. This is continuously rising and estimated
to be more in future, leading to more than 12 000 000 in 2030. It is possible to avoid many of these deaths by
early detection, treatment and cure; also some cancers are possible to prevent.
Cancer is a phase disease and is spreads out over time thus detection of cancer in its early stages would
dramatically increase the possibility for more successful therapy. Innovations and discoveries in cancer
therapy methods are researched together with efforts in development of rapid cancer diagnosis methods.
Heredity situation, environmental harm and failure patterns in cell growth are the main causes of cancer
which is started by alteration in genome composition in cellular structure. Thus the initial phase is also related
to variations in biochemicals.
Among several diagnostic methods for cancer detection, pathologic analysis of biopsy samples is very
common and called the 'gold standard'. In this method a pathologist would tag the structural situation and
cellular distribution in the tissue biopsy samples by visual observations using a light microscope. There are
some serious drawbacks in this routine clinical diagnostic method. The main ones are:
%
It is a time consuming process in which the pathologist must observe several parts of the biopsy and
sometimes several biopsies.
●
The biopsy is susceptible to environmental contamination by different agents during the sample preparation
procedure.
●
It is known to be a highly expensive technique.
●
Obtained results are completely dependent on the pathologist's level of expertise.
●
It is not usually reliable and the 'second look' confirmation by another pathologic service system is
needed. This may also cost and needs further time before receiving the final result.
●
Thus these limitations and drawbacks have concerned the oncologic researchers in development of some
new diagnosis methods which not only reduce the role of pathologist's experience on obtained results but also
may be more sensitive, accurate, precise, rapid and really 'reliable'. The economic aspects of the new proposed
methods would also affect the possibility of generalization for global application, even for poor nations.
According to the analytical potential in IR spectroscopy, it has also been applied as a diagnostic tool in
cancer detection. In the previous sections it was discussed that IR spectroscopic analysis is aimed to be
