Tezpur University study flags blood markers for early gallbladder cancer detection

Guwahati: A Tezpur University-led research team has identified blood-based markers that could help detect gallbladder cancer earlier among high-risk gallstone disease cases, reporting distinct blood “metabolic signatures” that differentiate cancer occurring with and without gallstones.Published this month in the American Chemical Society’s ‘Journal of Proteome Research’, the study reported specific metabolite biomarkers in blood that may support earlier diagnosis of gallbladder cancer, an aggressive disease often detected late.The study was led by assistant professor Dr Pankaj Barah and research scholar Dr Cinmoyee Baruah of Tezpur University’s department of molecular biology and biotechnology.“Our findings show that changes in certain chemicals in blood (metabolites) can clearly distinguish gallbladder cancer cases with and without gallstones,” Barah said. He added that simple blood-based tests can help in earlier detection, though further validation and a clinical trial are expected in the next phase.The pilot study, described as the first-of-its-kind from northeast India, analysed blood samples from three groups — patients with gallbladder cancer without gallstones, patients with gallbladder cancer and gallstones, and individuals with gallstones but no cancer.Using advanced metabolomics techniques, the researchers detected hundreds of altered metabolites and of them 12 metabolite biomarkers in gallstone-free cancer cases, 20 in gallstone-associated cancer cases, and 30 common in both categories. “These metabolite biomarkers will help in identification of patients who are at a higher risk of developing gallbladder cancer,” Baruah said.The work involved an interdisciplinary collaboration of surgeons, pathologists, pharmaceutical scientists, molecular biologists and computational scientists. Clinical inputs came from Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh; Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati; and Swagat Super-Speciality Hospital. Analytical and computational support was provided by the University of Illinois, Urbana–Champaign (USA) and the CSIR–Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow.“By linking tissue pathology with blood metabolomics, this research bridges the gap between laboratory discoveries and clinical diagnosis,” said Dr Gayatri Gogoi, pathologist at Assam Medical College.“The identification of blood-based metabolic markers provides a practical pathway towards early diagnosis and informed clinical decision-making,” said Dr Subhash Khanna, a gastrointestinal surgeon based in Guwahati.Researchers said larger multi-centre studies are needed before clinical application, but noted the findings could support development of non-invasive screening tools, particularly for high-risk regions such as the northeast.Gallbladder cancer is among the deadliest gastrointestinal malignancies and has a disproportionately high incidence in the northeast, where it is the third most common cancer. The disease often progresses silently, with many patients diagnosed at advanced stages. While gallstones are a recognised risk factor, not all people with gallstones develop cancer, and a significant proportion of patients are diagnosed without any history of gallstones. Researchers noted projections that the burden of gallbladder cancer in Assam will rise, adding urgency to early detection strategies.