15-Year-Old Creates Cancer Test That Is 26,000 Times Less Expensive With 100% Accuracy
Even though most high-school sophomores usually hang out at parties and socialize with friends, Jack Andraka developed a pancreatic cancer test that detects the tumors before they get out of hand.
He accomplished something extravagant because out of all cancers, pancreatic cancer is one which has the lowest survival rates.
This type of cancer shows no symptoms in its early stages and can affect more than 45,000 people in the U.S. and 8,000 in the UK. Because testing procedures were poor in the past, 4 out of 5 people are inoperable because of the late detection of cancer.
Andraka’s uncle passed away from pancreatic cancer. After he passed away, Andraka began to research this topic and what he had to show was rejected by 197 leading researchers. However, Anirban Maitra, a professor in oncology and pathology at John Hopkins University School of Medicine accepted his papers and they created a dip-stick that can test the biomarker of pancreatic cancer (a protein known as mesothelin in urine or blood).
This test is 168 times faster than the method that already existed. Additionally, it’s more sensitive and cheaper than the one that existed. Many experts claim that the dipstick will become the leading test for pancreatic cancer. However, before reaching that stage it needs to have additional testing to endure.
Professor Maitra said about Andraka that “He is what you would call a genius. He is full of ideas. I think this kid is going to come up with something quite extraordinary in the years to come.”
As of now, Andraka waits for the patent on the discovery that he made and continues his work. He said that “Everyone has the potential to be a scientist. They just have to find a passion and work for it.”
Sources: