Earlier, Easier Diagnosis

Near the top of the list of diseases that are tricky to catch early: lung cancer and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Doctors are working on better screening tools. Tests on the horizon include:

Lung Cancer: Researcher Bojana Turic is developing a test that uses scrapings from the inside of the cheek to detect markers of early lung cancer in smokers and nonsmokers. The test will spot subtle changes in cheek cells, which result form the presence of cancer in the lungs. The ultimate goal would be to have this included in regular physical exams.

Rheumatoid arthritis. In people with RA, the synovium, a thin tissue layer that surrounds the joints and tendons, begins expanding and then erodes bones, causing damage and pain. A new experimental test using noninvasive microscopic MR imaging may detect thickening of the synovium and bone erosions, possible signs of the debilitating condition in its beginning states. Early, aggressive medical treatment can lessen the effects of the disease.

Reader's Digest - Medical Update, March 2006, pg 59.