TU study identifies blood markers for early gallbladder cancer detection

Tezpur, Jan 10: Researchers of Tezpur University have identified distinct chemical signatures in blood that can differentiate gallbladder cancer cases occurring with and without gallstones, a finding that could aid the early diagnosis of one of the most aggressive and often undetected cancers.

The study, led by Assistant Professor Dr Pankaj Barah and research scholar Dr Cinmoyee Baruah of the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, has been published in the ‘Journal of Proteome Research of the American Chemical Society’.

The research reports the identification of specific blood-based ‘metabolic signatures’ that may serve as potential biomarkers for gallbladder cancer.

Gallbladder cancer is among the deadliest gastrointestinal malignancies and shows a disproportionately high incidence in Northeast India, where it is the third most common cancer.

The disease is notorious for its silent progression, with most patients presenting at advanced stages when treatment options are limited.

Although gallstones are a recognised risk factor, not all individuals with gallstones develop cancer, and a significant proportion of patients are diagnosed without any history of gallstones.

The burden of gallbladder cancer in Assam is projected to rise further, underscoring the urgent need for early detection strategies.

“Our findings show that changes in certain chemicals blood (metabolites) can clearly distinguish gallbladder cancer cases with and without gallstones,” Dr Barah said. “This raises the possibility of developing simple blood-based tests that could help in earlier detection.”

The first-of-its-kind pilot study 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 – 180 in gallstone-free cancer cases and 225 in gallstone-associated cases.

Distinct biomarker panels with high diagnostic accuracy were identified for each variant, many involving bile acids and amino acid derivatives linked to tumour progression.

The research was carried out through an interdisciplinary collaboration involving 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.

Highlighting the translational relevance of the findings, Dr Gayatri Gogoi, pathologist at Assam Medical College, said “By linking tissue pathology with blood metabolomics, this research bridges the gap between laboratory discoveries and clinical diagnosis.”

From a clinical perspective, Dr Subhash Khanna, a renowned gastrointestinal surgeon based in Guwahati, described the findings as significant. “The identification of blood-based metabolic markers provide a practical pathway towards early diagnosis and informed clinical decision-making,” he said.

While the researchers caution that larger, multi-centre studies are required before clinical application, they note that the work provides a strong scientific foundation for developing non-invasive screening tools, particularly relevant for high-risk regions such as Northeast India.