15-Year-Old Invents New Test for Early, Reliable Detection of Pancreatic Cancer

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Pancreatic cancer is a devastatingly fatal form of cancer, and is typically regarded as the most deadly and universally rapid-killing form of cancer. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute,1 an estimated 45,220 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year, of which 38,460 are expected to die.

Part of the problem is that this cancer is usually diagnosed quite late, contributing to the abysmal five-year survival rate. It also shows you just how ineffective conventional detection methods and treatments are.

All of that may soon change however — all due to the persistence and dedication of a high school kid who decided there must be a better way to detect this lethal cancer sooner…
cancer kid

Yes, a 15-year-old boy named Jack Andraka has done what scientists with millions of dollars-worth of research grants at their disposal have failed to do. He invented a dipstick-type sensor to detect pancreatic, ovarian, and lung cancer that is:

– 168 times faster

– 26,000 times less expensive, and

– 400 times more sensitive than the current standard of detection

And he did it using Google and Wikipedia as his primary research tools — online resources that are available to virtually anyone on the planet with an internet connection. What’s more, the test costs three cents, takes five minutes, and has a 90 percent accuracy rate. Compare that to the current standard, which employs 60-year-old technology, costs about $800, and misses 30 percent of all pancreatic cancers.

How Could a High School Kid Make Such an Amazing Discovery?

You are in for a real treat. Please find the time to watch this awesomely inspiring video of a high school freshman who accomplished a major feat that most of us will never surpass in our lifetime. It is clearly one of the most inspiring videos I have ever seen. You are left with the impression if this high school freshman can do this, why can’t I achieve my goals?

Last year, Jack was awarded first place in the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair for his invention.2 To me the most impressive part of his story are the thousands of failures he went through that did not deter him in the pursuit of his goal. Absolutely magnificent story.

When Jack first began his research, he didn’t even know he had a pancreas, but when pancreatic cancer suddenly claimed the life of a close family friend who was like “an uncle” to him he got to thinking… and researching, using readily available online tools and freely available studies, he determined that the reason we haven’t done a better job at detecting pancreatic cancer is because we’re looking for a particular protein present in the blood, called mesothelin.

This protein is always present, but in ovarian, pancreatic, or lung cancer patients, this protein is elevated. The problem is, detecting elevated levels is like “finding a needle in a stack of identical needles.”

After determining the parameters for an ideal detection sensor — noninvasive, rapid, inexpensive, simple, sensitive, and selective — he set to work trying to figure out how to detect elevated levels of mesothelin. The idea for his dipstick sensor came during a high school biology class on the subject of antibodies, during which he was secretly reviewing a paper on analytical methods using the 21st century technology of carbon nanotubes. (His approach would be absolutely impossible when I was in high school as carbon nanotubes would not be discovered for many decades.)

Antibodies fit like a lock and key into an antigen binding site. In this case, that would be the mesothelin protein. His idea involved lacing the nanotubes with the antibody, which would subsequently only attract the mesothelin protein. The nanotube strip would then generate an electrical response large enough to detect with a simple ohm meter.

Once he had locked down his theory, he needed a lab space. He applied to 200 laboratories working with pancreatic cancer and promptly received 199 rejections. But there was one “maybe.” He “hunted down” the professor and eventually landed a meeting. And a place to work. Seven months later, after countless trials and errors, he had created his first paper sensor. The sensor has now been tested in blind studies on humans, and has been found to have a 90 percent accuracy rate. Another key is that this protein becomes elevated during the earliest stages of cancer, allowing for a greatly increased survival rate.

“Through the internet anything is possible,” -Jack says.

I couldn’t agree more. Not only is this story amazing because of his youth, it’s also an incredible testament to the power of the internet. Anyone can now, quite literally, change the world by putting the available information to good use! That is really the primary reason why I am able to provide all these news stories for you in the newsletter. Virtually all of them are carefully researched on the internet. We supplement these stories with my 20-plus years of clinical experience treating 25,000 patients and interviews with some of the leading health experts in the world.

Source: Mercola.com

77 Comments on 15-Year-Old Invents New Test for Early, Reliable Detection of Pancreatic Cancer

  1. Paula Qualls Gurley

    Now we just wait and see how some drug company will discredit this young man and develop the same test under a different name and charge $2500 per test for it.

  2. Maria Dennis

    Now the question is: how do we get access to this test that costs three cents? (My bet is that it will cost us thousands of dollars so that some big corporation can make a ridiculous profit.)

  3. Elemental Sapient

    Hopefully, Jack week take his patent and not sell out to the drug companies. I'm sure with his initiative he'll do the right thing!

  4. Cathy Torrey

    encouraging. but I don't think he should have bragged about it until he got it patented and approved by the FDA. hope some big pharma doesn't patent it first.

  5. A comment and a question. This is a good thing. It could have saved my mother. Question: Why the comments about drug companies? This is a good thing. For me, that is a period at the end of the previous sentence.

  6. Bev Valente

    Agreeing with previous posts, by the time it's approved by the FDA, some drug company will copy it and instead of costing 3 cents, it will cost $3,000. Bet on it. He needs to patent this pronto!

  7. Paula Qualls Gurley

    He doesn't have to money to bribe politicians like the drug companies do. They will slit his throat in a heartbeat to give this to their masters.

  8. You guys are missing a very important point…his story is already out and part of public knowledge. It would be pretty tough to make time go backwards (tough, not impossible with enough money), to make this be 'discovered' by BigPharma.

    Regardless of who gets credit, this is as big a breakthrough in cancer research as there has ever been. Imagine being able to use a swipe and determine any form of cancer? This young man just reinvented the wheel. CONGRATULATIONS!

  9. cancer is not a disease it is medical business, big one too. docters instill fear with many non specific blood tests then run thro' more invasive checks to drain yr money.many are unnecessary even risky. the wopse is when radiologisfs and specialists give complicated n suggestive results.hence more checks n tests required.this is the real sickness.

  10. Becky Knutson

    David Fowler What's ridiculous about Paula's response? Not unlikely at all if you ask me. They are always using more expensive treatments so they can charge more, especially in the cancer industry. They don't like cheap alternatives, and if they find one they are going to up the price. It happens all the time in the medical field. Or more likely, they will discredit the theory all together, because why would they want people to start detecting cancer earlier? They don't want detection and cures because cancer makes money.

  11. Fowler s part of big pharma I would say! Beware! Awesome work done by this young man! Don't get killed like Tesla who was also brilliant but big oil would have lost too much money.

  12. Ryan De Witt

    Great, but why is no one questioning this? The old saying of "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." I mean it would be great, but I see no scientific studies backing up any of what this kid claims and he is claiming some pretty extreme things. If it turns out to be true, they that truly is incredible. However just accepting what is said as true with no hard science "yet" to back up any of it is never a good idea and often leads to much disappointment.

  13. Karen Meredith

    My sister fought pancreatic cancer for 3 years; she died last Thursday. I hope this amazing, magnificent young man's discovery can help other families fight a winning battle.

  14. Daniel Chamberlain

    Ryan De Witt Look for its publication in a science journal. If you find it there, you will have your peer review-able proof.

  15. David Spencer

    As a pancreatic cancer survivor, I'd like the details of the "tested in blind studies on humans". The video says 99% success rate and the text says 90% – that's minor, but what are the facts? What was the test? How many humans? How many positives (test said they had it and they did), how many negatives (test said they didn't and they didn't), how many false positives (test said they had it but they didn't), and of course how many false negatives (test didn't catch it? Without detailed test results this is just a story that gets people to vent against 'the man'. This post keeps getting reposted, but there are no facts. Should I write some fiction about how I beat the disease? (It was luck and great doctors.) We desperately need a cure; is this really it?

  16. Too busy meeting the big drug companies. Cancer is BIG business. They don't want medical charges taken away from them by a simple blood test. His objective when inventing this was for people to have low cost cancer detection. We will see if he is corrupted.

  17. LaVeda Riggs

    It's too simple…unfortunately, the pharmaceutical companies will get their sticky fingers into it, if it's really a great test and declare it unsafe, etc. Then they will change the name and charge $1,000's! I believe that there is already a cure for cancer…it's just something too simple and inexpensive. AND the food producers are killing us with additives and preservatives and many other chemicals. The chemicals in our food, homes, cars, clothing, home building materials, and on and on are causing more and more cancer and unhealthy people in general.
    From the beginning of a cow, chicken or pig's life they are shot up with growth hormones and antibiotics, etc. that we eat causing us to have a lower immune systems, weight gains and a craving for the products. The processed foods have so many preservatives that we really don't need to be embalmed as we don't even disintegrate in death! Speaking of that…did you know that formaldehyde is put in fabrics such as towels and sheets to make them appear "prettier"? What the?
    I have had breast cancer and went thru the gamete of cancer treatments…if cancer should come back…and I have a 70% chance of it returning…I am going to go the natural route. At least as best as I can.
    When I've asked my doctors if there are special diets that I should be doing or not doing they insist that all is well…humph!
    I pray that what this mere 15 year old has done will go viral and people will be forced to see that we are the money making lab rats being used to give the pharmaceutical companies more more more more!

  18. Really. He was working through a lab folks. Don't you think they haven't already taken care of the details. Bet those 199 lads who turned him down are kicking themselves in the butt now.

  19. Can not believe not even one person took time to hear this great young man explain how he found a new early detection test for Cancer using only Goggle and Wikipedia!!!I'm re-posting so that this will inspire and lift your day to new heights of hope for this generation He is also very funny …just a good positive bundle of energy!

  20. Agapi Zoi

    David Fowler Unfortunately Paula is not being ridiculous at all! The Big Drug companies have, and will continue to do things like this, as well as many other atrocities for the sake of the mighty buck! To those you think otherwise please contact me, I have some awesome land I'd like to sell you!

  21. Agapi Zoi

    You are absolutely correct! I know for a fact that there are many cures for cancer, but not enough money to be made from that, not to mention population control. And to add to the list GMO's…no wonder everyone is sick and on meds!! We need people to be aware and know that this is happening and fight for what is right! Remember people…for every disease we know, God allows an herb to grow! Best of luck to you in your fight against Cancer! Please find a good, credible Naturopathic Doctor and let them help you naturally. It does work!

  22. Becki Fox

    It must be true, we read it on the Internet. They can't put anything on the Internet that in't true. We'll all just have to wait and see….stay tuned.

  23. Jack Andraka , you are an amazing young man. I hope you can get this out to the people so lives can start being saved soon. I hope you get a patent and reap some big bucks — you deserve it!

  24. LaVeda, to help ensure your cancer not recurring, you HAVE completely eliminated sugar from your diet, haven't you? That's what it feeds on..
    If I were in your shoes, I'd also eliminate white flour, eat organic & non-GMO. I think you'll have excellent odds of it not coming back then!

  25. Alma Matters

    I agree with Jill (and others). While BigPharma may not steal the idea, they'll likely buy the patent and charge patients big bucks for the test. Then, with the early detection, they'll have that many more customers for their toxic chemo "treatments". …Oh, and to whoever said that this is impossible because 'the story is out there and everyone knows about it'. You can't make those kinds of assumptions, everyone doesn't know about it. There are still plenty of people in this world that trust their doctors and go gaga over those TV ads for BigPharma drugs, which, incidentally, only create a nation of hypochondriacs.

  26. Janet Avila

    David Fowler, Paula Is not being ridiculous ….she's unfortunately being real…that's what these criminal drug companies do. It's happened more often than not. That's the first thing I thought when I read this article. I have a friend who'd dying of pancreatic cancer right now. It's breaking my heart.

  27. Janet Avila

    I'm just grateful that someone found a method that detects pancreatic cancer in the early stages…when it's still early enough to save lives.

  28. I just sent the following email message to Erin Burnett at CNN..trust her to give this deserving attention.

    To the attention of Erin Burnett:
    Please take a listen to following link to underground health. This could revolutionize early detection and treatment of a number of cancers. You are also economy minded and just think what this could do to lower healthcare costs! Please investigate this quickly and give it a big splash on your show, invite this kid, think he's got it. Stay on the case, please..

  29. Also sent similar message to Sandie Rinaldo and Avis Favaro at CTV..believe in them too!To the attention of Sandie Rinaldo and Avis Favaro: Please take a listen to following link to underground health. This could revolutionize early detection and treatment of a number of cancers. You are great reporters and also economy minded,just think what this could do to lower healthcare costs! Please investigate this quickly and give it a big splash on your show,this invention and the kid deserve your attention.. (we have had enough of Rob Ford already) Thank you. http://www.undergroundhealth.com/15-year-old-invents-new-test-for-early-reliable-detection-of-pancreatic-cancer/

  30. Elizabeth Hahn

    jesus! we get it! you don't like the president. but it amazes me that you can allow that feeling to creep into every aspect of you life. so when you can't get it up, do you blame the president too? damn.

  31. Neil Murrell

    I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure there's very limited value in patenting a diagnostic test as simple as this one. You could, perhaps, patent the exact materials used, but anyone who devised an equivalent test using slightly different materials or a slightly different protocol would, as far as I'm aware, be free to sell it.

    What this means is that if one company charged too much for the procedure, it'd only be a matter of time before another company did it more cheaply. Competition would drive the price down, as it does with everything else. This test is so cheap, and would, if successful, become so popular, that even a tiny percentage profit per-test would, over time, translate into a sizeable overall profit. According to this TED article (here: http://tinyurl.com/l384e2s) the test costs a grand total of six cents to administer. That means that it would cost $600,000.00 to perform ten million tests. If a drug company were to charge, as Paula suggested, $2,500.00 per test, they would generate $25,000,000,000.00 in pure profit per year. This is, of course, flatly ridiculous, because the first thing that would happen is that another company would rush in to provide the test more cheaply, snatch all the customers away from the first company, and keep all the profits. And if a third company were to calculate that they could provide it more cheaply still, they would do so, because otherwise they wouldn't be making any money off it at all.

    Furthermore, this test is designed to be a 'dipstick test'. The plan is that you would purchase it from your local pharmacy and conduct it at home, just like a pregnancy test. Ask yourself, when was the last time you, or anyone you know, spent two and a half THOUSAND dollars on a pregnancy test?

    Competition and enlightened self-interest guarantee that this test will not be exorbitantly expensive. The equation is exceedingly simple and it works every time it's tried. If there is a profitable product, and you want to break into the market and get some of that profit for yourself, what's the first thing you try to do? Answer: Provide it more cheaply. And if someone else decides that your profit margins are too high, they'll do the exact same thing to you, driving the price down even further until, eventually, it's as low as it can get. Again, this is how it works with virtually every other product on earth.

  32. Jackie Dow

    Alma Matters I already tried to see if the test was available a while ago, it is not, due to the fact that he sold the info to a company, thinking they could mass produce it faster than he is able. It will be available in afew yeqars, if we are lucky.
    I even emailed him, he was sorry to say he could not answer the demand, and had sold the patent.

  33. Naomi Rae

    Its not ridiculous at all! and you sir are ridiculous for not seeing it. I wouldnt even be surprised if the pharma companies already knew about this and were trying to keep it quiet because it is too cheep and too effective for them to make big bucks off it, theyd rather have people dying being basically forced to pay thousands on their expensive treatments to try and stay alive I dont trust them AT ALL they dont care about people or about saving lives all they care about is filling their pockets, that is the sad truth.

  34. Janet Avila

    My ex-husband was diagnosed with stage 4 Pancreatic cancer 2 yrs ago..They took the cancerous part of his pancreas, gave him chemo and it spread to his liver. So.he was allowed to use an experimental treatment of radiation balls placed around his liver. It completely killed the cancer. I am amazed because pancreatic cancer is fatal and usually within 4 mos at stage 4. Dr's say there are no cancerous cells in his body at this time.

  35. this is just simply an amazing breath of fresh air. Hopefully he lawyered up and had all the legal crap taken care of. I just absolutely this this is a Nobel prize winning (although that may not be that big a deal after the way Mr. Obama got his (…what a joke) God bless and protect this kid

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