Korean researchers unveil rapid diagnostic test for pancreatic cancer
Published: 03 Mar. 2026, 20:57
![A person is depicted experiencing pain in the pancreatic area in this stock image [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/03/4a7fb554-3df9-4e4f-b662-424e4df47695.jpg)
A person is depicted experiencing pain in the pancreatic area in this stock image [JOONGANG ILBO]
A Korean research team has developed rapid diagnostic technology that can detect pancreatic cancer within 15 minutes using a single drop of blood, Konkuk University announced Tuesday.
The team, led by Jun Bong-hyun, a professor of systems biotechnology at Konkuk University, introduced a testing method called signal-enhanced lateral flow immunoassay (Selfi), which precisely analyzes the pancreatic cancer biomarker CA19-9 in blood relatively quickly.
The technology enables results to be confirmed through color changes on a test strip. The method reduces analysis time from several hours required by conventional tests to 15 minutes, according to the research team.
The core of the technology lies in a signal-amplifying nanostructure. The team applied a structure in which gold nanoparticles are densely assembled on the surface of silica nanoparticles, maximizing the "hotspot" effect generated between nanoparticles, which makes tiny biological signals detectable.
As a result, detection sensitivity improved by approximately 28-fold compared to existing rapid diagnostic kits, enabling the detection of CA19-9 at concentrations as low as 0.15 units per milliliter.
The researchers also conducted clinical validation using serum samples from pancreatic cancer patients. They compared samples from healthy individuals, early-stage patients and late-stage patients.
![A diagram explains the signal-amplifying nanostructure used in a rapid diagnostic technology developed by a Korean research team. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/03/6afd5a9b-15d1-47d1-9470-21beba652190.jpg)
A diagram explains the signal-amplifying nanostructure used in a rapid diagnostic technology developed by a Korean research team. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
The team explained that Selfi demonstrated higher diagnostic accuracy than conventional rapid test kits in distinguishing early-stage patients from healthy individuals, and statistically significant improvements were confirmed in early pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
The researchers emphasized the significance of the findings, noting that pancreatic cancer is often detected at a late stage because early symptoms are minimal, and existing blood-based diagnostic methods have limitations due to long analysis times or insufficient sensitivity.
However, since the validation was conducted by comparing normal, early-stage and late-stage samples using patient serum, additional verification under more diverse conditions will be necessary before the technology can be applied in clinical practice.
The new technology could be expanded beyond pancreatic cancer to diagnose a range of other cancer and disease biomarkers, the research team said.
![The pancreas is shown in an anatomy of the human body in this stock image [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/03/72128e20-41b3-4850-9d81-d2a04c3c210a.jpg)
The pancreas is shown in an anatomy of the human body in this stock image [JOONGANG ILBO]
The study was conducted as a multidisciplinary and international collaborative project involving multiple universities, medical institutions and overseas researchers.
Jang So-hyeon and Shin Min-sup, both of Konkuk University, and Han Ji-seok of Hanbat National University participated as co-first authors.
Professors Kim Jae-hi of Konkuk University, Song Ji-hwan of Hanbat National University, Lee Jong-chan of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital and Luke Lee of Harvard Medical School served as co-corresponding authors alongside Prof. Jun.
The research findings were published online in the international academic journal Nature Communications.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY RHEE ESTHER [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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