A team of researchers at the University of Malta have come up with a cancer screening test that is less invasive and more sensitive than current methods.

The research forms part of a project called Accurate Cancer screening Tests (Act), which initially focused on improved diagnosis of breast cancer and is now developing similar tests for colorectal cancer.

Led by Prof Godfrey Grech from the Pathology Department, the partners in this ongoing project are the university's Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and industry partner Applied Biotech.

Prof Grech noted that during the research, technology was adapted to develop a new method in diagnosing tumour cells, and in the meantime discovered new characteristics of colorectal cancer.

A patent application has been submitted for the newly discovered characteristics and also the new screening methods.

The upcoming challenge will be identifying tumours at an earlier stage so that treatment could be more effective.

The sum of €200,000 was invested in the project through Fusion, a national funding programme managed by the Malta Council for Science and Technology.

MCST chair Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando commended the research, noting that cancer impacted families, the country’s economy and health sector.

One out of every three people will get diagnosed with cancer before they turn 75. However, despite increases in diagnoses, treatment was also improving, he said.

Photo: Johnathan Borg

Health Minister Chris Fearne meanwhile noted that Malta sees 2,000 new cancer cases a year, while 900 people are killed by the disease annually.

He noted that the belief that Malta was too small to carry out research with a global impact had changed over the years.

The size of the island was actually advantageous as researchers had access to whole population data, a resource that only a few other countries had, he added.

Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation Silvio Schembri said it was crucial to keep investing in the Fusion programme to encourage Maltese researchers to sustain their research.

He said that some €8million had been invested in research and it was having an impact on the economy.

He thanked researchers and scientists involved in this project.