Free-Floating DNA

Free-floating DNA is when a cell dies, enzymes cut their DNA into fragments that leak into the bloodstream and other bodily fluids. A new method with this is to collect the DNA and find a way to diagnosis, treat, and manage many health conditions that lead to an abnormal increase in cell death and cell-free DNA, including cancer with a simple blood draw. Two test which have been done are; a test is in a cancer patient’s blood to study for cancer-specific mutations, as a way of assessing reactions to treatment. Another test in an organ transplant receiver, where growing quantities of DNA remains from the donor can be an early sign of rejection.

Another test was put forth, to investigate the blood of healthy individuals for cell-free DNA, and then looked at a map of the human genome to outline where each fragment came from. Most of the cell-free DNA came from areas in or around nucleosomes. Next they looked at the patterns of nucleosomes in different types of cells. They found that all the healthy subjects produced cell-free DNA that mostly came from nucleosomes found in blood cells. Except when they looked at cell-free DNA from citizens with advanced cancer, the map changed. for example, a patient with lung cancer, was found that the cell-free DNA matched a different pattern , indicating a sort of lung cancer cell. With this, the scientists matched cell-free DNA in additional cancer patients to the forms of cancer they had. This may be able to be used to identify the location of difficult hiding cancers. This technique can open the doors many different aspects with clues to other disease; free-floating genes shed from the heart might revel damage to a heart attack and cell-free DNA from neurons nay signal a stroke.

If all this can be perfected and brought to a clinical trail the way we view genes today may change. Being able to see many different gene maps in people with cancer and so on and being able to indicate where the problem is soon how to treat it. But location is a problem which will be diminished, and doctors will be able to assess a patients' needs easier and seeing which part is damaged.