On Wednesday, June 18, 2025, the São Paulo State Cancer Institute (ICESP) welcomed Professor Samir Hanash, Director of the McCombs Institute for the Early Detection and Treatment of Cancer at MD Anderson Cancer Center (USA), for the lecture Mining the Cancer Proteome for Clinical Applications.
Professor Hanash presented part of his research focused on developing a blood test capable of assessing an individual’s risk of developing cancer, including identifying the types of cancer to which someone may be more susceptible. This approach is what the professor refers to as personalized risk assessment. It could enable earlier diagnoses, better prognoses, and more precise monitoring strategies.
Currently, cancer risk assessment is primarily based on factors such as age, family history, and lifestyle. The development of a blood test could change this paradigm, leading to more personalized and accurate follow-up. The idea is that, in the future, it will be possible to conduct population-wide screening through a simple blood test that indicates each person’s specific cancer risks. For example, someone aware of a high risk for a particular type of cancer could undergo regular monitoring and detect the disease at an early stage.
In his research, Professor Hanash seeks to identify blood biomarkers that could serve as the basis for this test. He explained that he initially worked with the broadest possible range of biomarkers, including nucleic acids, proteins, metabolites, cytokines and chemokines, autoantibodies, circulating tumor cells, microparticles, and exosomes. After evaluating all these possibilities, he concluded that proteins represent the most promising path for developing widely applicable tests.
One of the reasons for focusing on proteins is economic: proteomic tests are less expensive. Professor Hanash emphasized the importance of ensuring that these tests are affordable enough for population-wide screening. He even suggested that, one day, it might be possible to test an entire country’s population, democratizing access to health information.
The lecture was organized by Professors Vitor Faça (FMRP-USP) and Roger Chammas (FMUSP).
