20 miliardi di euro l’anno: i costi per il cancro in Italia – Prevenzione attiva, la vera arma vincente
According to a publication of the Associazione Italiana Oncologia Medica (https://www.aiom.it/en/cancer-figures-in-italy/), every year in Italy deaths from cancer decrease (-1.0 : -2.6 % – year 2022) but the number of cancer patients increases (+0.7 : + 2.6 – year 2022). This is because cancer prevention takes place through early diagnosis (X-RAY, CT-SCAN, ECO, ENDOSCOPY. MRI, etc.), which prevents death from cancer or through the so-called “cancer prevention strategies” which are only based on 1) avoiding generic risks, such as smoking, alcohol, inappropriate diets, physical inactivity and exposure to carcinogens; and 2) testing for predisposition marker genes.
But the only way to effectively reduce the incidence of cancer, is to identify and treat the prodromal conditions of the disease, as it has been done in the case of heart disease prevention. Heart disease has been reduced by 40% in 30 years because the monitoring of its driver or prodromal conditions (hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, etc.) proved to be ineffective prevention routine for this purpose. In cancer prevention, however, the driver/prodromal conditions of the development of the disease are not analyzed as of today; only activities related to the earliest possible detection of the disease itself are carried out (cancer screening only provides early detection).
But with the HELIXAFE model, developed by BIOSCIENCE GENOMICS, it is now possible to analyze and monitor the physiological conditions which, when altered, become drivers of cancer, and these are: genetic stability, the pro-inflammatory cytokine level, the intestinal microbiome condition and the immune system functionality.
Genetic instability is the main driver of cancer, because it is the consequence of the progressive accumulation of somatic (acquired) mutations in the DNA; this occurs when the tumor suppressor genes interrupt their repairing function of the damage undergone by the DNA. Thousands of lesions are inflicted on the DNA every day, that are constantly repaired by the tumor suppressor genes. Somatic mutations occur if these genes stop working and no longer repair the damage. BIOSCIENCE GENOMICS has patented and validated the algorithm detecting the progressive accumulation of somatic mutations, an indicator of the current inactivity of the tumor suppressor genes and, therefore, of the prodromal condition of the development of solid tumors. This is made possible through the sequencing of circulating free DNA, obtained from a simple blood sample. From the same blood sample, it is possible to also analyze two driver conditions for the development of solid tumors (by means of the cytofluorimetric technique) which are: 1 – the level of nine pro-inflammatory cytokines to detect possible systemic inflammation; 2 – the balance of the immune system through the CD4/CD8 ratio, monocytes, etc. Furthermore, by sequencing a stool sample, it is possible to analyze a fourth driver condition: the imbalance of the intestinal bacterial flora.
The data obtained from these tests are managed in an integrated way by artificial intelligence, that allows the analysis of the risk profile, to contribute to the selection of chemo-preventive and behavioral interventions to be introduced in the event of altered values. It is undoubtedly preferable to fight cancer before its inception, in order to have more possibilities to win the battle against the disease and to extend the person’s quality of life. In the same way as an individual regularly measures their level of cholesterol or blood pressure to prevent the development of heart disease with adequate therapies, they should also use HELIXAFE to monitor the physiological driver conditions of the tumor and manage them by means of chemo-preventive therapies. This is why the concept of “cancer interception” is key and necessary.
Age is among the most important risk factors for cancer, and the world’s population is increasing its life span, thus becoming more cancer-prone. The improved treatments in this field until now were only able to increase the life span of cancer patients, while the risk of developing cancer by survivors has also increased. Our technology is more convenient, as it will result in fewer lives lost while also reducing the burden of cancer on the public health and welfare systems at the same time. Genetic tests used for the prevention of cancer, which analyze germline mutations (hereditary – e.g., BRCA1-2), are not enough for both doctors and patients, because they can only indicate hereditary conditions predisposing to the development of the disease. But these conditions cannot be changed: doctors and patients have no power of intervention with these data in hand. The main difference between sequencing germline (hereditary) mutations and the HELIXAFE concept is that our technology focuses on physiological or pathophysiological conditions that can be modified with appropriate interventions (e.g., lifestyle changes and supplements as chemo-preventive agents).
Colorectal cancer, like any other cancer, arises from a process of transformation of normal cells into cancer cells over a period of years or decades; during this so-called “prodromal phase” several factors are actively driving genomic instability that, as a result, lead to cells’ transformation into cancer. HELIXAFE is a health monitoring program based on the breakthrough concept of cancer driver interception able to detect colorectal cancer in its prodromal phase, several years before the disease occurrence. It relies on 2 main steps (4 types of tests.
