serum
ガンの早期発見に役立つ診断方法が研究されております。国立がん研究所，と日本の企業，大学などの共同プロジェクトは，血液採取を行うことで13種類のガンを発見を目指すと述べております。がん細胞が発生すると，microRNAという物質が生成されるため，この成分を分析することでガンを早期発見につなげるそうです。
記事の中で気になった単語は"serum"です。『Wisdom英和辞典第三版（三省堂）』によると「(免疫)血清」という意味がありました。ついでにODを引くと"An amber-coloured, protein-rich liquid which separates out when blood coagulates"とあります。（Ume）
Group aims to detect 13 cancers in a single test
A group comprising the National Cancer Center, private companies and Japanese universities said Monday it will kick off a five-year project to enable the detection of 13 kinds of cancer from a simple blood sample.
The \7.9 billion project led by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, an independent administrative agency known as NEDO, is aimed at enabling early stage cancer detection through a simple blood test.
The blood test is expected to help diagnose stomach, esophagus, lung, liver, biliary tract, pancreas, colon, ovary, prostate, bladder and breast cancers, as well as sarcoma and glial tumors.
It will screen microRNAs as tumor markers. The microRNAs, substances in blood and other bodily fluid, have been found to rise when people develop cancer. Over 2,500 types of microRNAs have been confirmed in humans and are expected to serve as cancer indicators.
Participants including Toray Industries Inc. will analyze the serum and body tissue samples of 65,000 people preserved by the National Cancer Center for the development of the detection equipment.
