In a new study, the “Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy” technique has been shown to identify a single cancer cell in a blood sample. The findings are published in the journal Applied Spectroscopy.

The research team—which brings together academics from University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM), Keele University, and Loughborough University—believe the breakthrough could enable doctors to monitor cancer in real time using a simple blood test.

Professor Josep Sulé-Suso, Associate Specialist in Oncology at UHNM and lead author of the study, said, “Our team was able to detect a single lung cancer cell in a patient’s blood by combining advanced infrared scanning technology with computer analysis, focusing on the unique chemical fingerprint of cancer cells.