Prof John Field and Dr Lakis Liloglou, of the university’s cancer research centre, described their new methodology this week at the American Association of Cancer Research annual meeting in Anaheim .

The technology was developed in collaboration with Sequenom, as US company specialising in DNA analysis equipment, and Methexis Genomics, a Belgian company, which has developed an innovative method for the rapid analysis of gene sequences using a mass spectrometer.

The technique is a reliable version of an established method of DNA methylation analysis. Methylation is one way in which genetic structure can be altered, especially by smoking. It is also associated with cancer where it may switch particular genes “off” or “on”. So methylation of particular genes may be an early marker for cancer. All that would be needed would be a blood sample or washings from the patient’s lungs.