A peptide targeting FGFR2 receptor promises early detection of esophageal adenocarcinoma
June 28, 2018 |
Gyros Protein Technologies
The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is rapidly increasing, with 450,000 new cases diagnosed and 400,000 deaths reported annually worldwide. Early detection is complicated by difficulty in detecting the flat premalignant lesions. However, the overexpression of cell surface fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) is an early event in disease progression. A team comprising researchers based at the University of Michigan, USA and The Fourth Military Medical University, China, have identified a peptide that binds with high specificity to the extracellular domain of FGFR2, making this peptide a promising clinical imaging agent for early detection of esophageal adenocarcinoma.