A promising test for pancreatic cancer ... from a teenager | Jack Andraka

翻译人员: Ron Chao 校对人员: Jennifer Lien

Have you ever experienced a moment in your life

你是否经历过

that was so painful and confusing,

非常痛苦和困惑的时刻

恨不得

that all you wanted to do

立刻就能搞懂一切

was learn as much as you could to make sense of it all?

When I was 13, a close family friend who was like an uncle to me

我13岁时，有一位家庭挚友

亲如我的叔叔

passed away from pancreatic cancer.

因为胰腺癌过世了

When the disease hit so close to home,

当这么亲近的人遭逢病变，

I knew I needed to learn more.

我明白我需要更深入暸解

So I went online to find answers.

于是我上网找答案

Using the Internet, I found a variety of statistics on pancreatic cancer,

在互联网上找到了

各种胰腺癌的统计数据

and what I had found shocked me.

结果让我大吃一惊

85%以上的胰腺癌

Over 85 percent of all pancreatic cancers are diagnosed late,

到晚期才被诊断出来

when someone has less than a two percent chance of survival.

晚期的存活率只有2％

Why are we so bad at detecting pancreatic cancer?

检测胰腺癌为何成效不佳？

The reason?

原因是现代的医疗方法

Today's current "modern" medicine is a 60-year-old technique.

是60年前的老旧技术

That's older than my dad.

比我的父亲还要老

(Laughter)

（笑声）

But also, it's extremely expensive, costing 800 dollars per test,

而且很昂贵

检测一次需800美元

and it's grossly inaccurate, missing 30 percent of all pancreatic cancers.

而且极不准确

30%的胰腺癌检测不出来

Your doctor would have to be ridiculously suspicious that you have the cancer

除非医生反常地怀疑

病人罹癌才会安排检测

in order to give you this test.

Learning this, I knew there had to be a better way.

我得知后，觉得一定有更佳方法

So, I set up scientific criteria

所以我建立了科学标准

as to what a sensor would have to look like

界定了传感器的必备功能

in order to effectively diagnose pancreatic cancer.

以便有效地诊断胰腺癌

The sensor would have to be:

传感器必须便宜、快速

inexpensive, rapid, simple, sensitive,

简单、敏感、又能筛选

selective, and minimally invasive.

并且是微创的检测

但是现有的检测方法

Now, there's a reason why this test hasn't been updated in over six decades.

六十多年不变也有原因

And that's because when we're looking for pancreatic cancer,

因为诊断胰腺癌

we're looking at your bloodstream,

是透过验血

血液富含巨量蛋白质

which is already abundant in all these tons and tons of protein,

and you're looking for this miniscule difference in this tiny amount of protein.

要找出微小的差异

微量的蛋白质

Just this one protein.

单单一种蛋白质

几乎不可能

That's next to impossible.

然而我年少乐观所以不怕困难

However, undeterred due to my teenage optimism --

(Laughter)

（掌声）

(Applause)

I went online to a teenager's two best friends, Google and Wikipedia.

我上网找青少年的两位益友

谷歌和维基百科

I got everything for my homework from those two sources.

我从中得到了所需的资料

(Laughter)

我读到一篇文章

And what I had found was an article

that listed a database of over 8,000 different proteins

该文列举了8000多种蛋白质

that are found when you have pancreatic cancer.

是胰腺癌患者血液裡有的

So, I decided to go and make it my new mission

所以我开始了新的任务

to go through all these proteins,

逐一筛选这些蛋白质

and see which ones could serve as a bio-marker for pancreatic cancer.

找出胰腺癌的生物标志物

为了让任务更简单一点

And to make it a bit simpler for myself,

I decided to map out scientific criteria, and here it is.

我订定了下列科学标准

Essentially, first, the protein would have to be found in all pancreatic cancers,

首先，符合条件的蛋白质

必须存在于所有类型的胰腺癌

at high levels in the bloodstream,

早期血液裡的含量要高，但仅限于患者

in the earliest stages, but also only in cancer.

And so I'm just plugging and chugging through this gargantuan task,

我按部就班地执行艰巨的任务

and finally, on the 4,000th try,

终于在第4000次筛选的时候

when I'm close to losing my sanity,

在我快发疯的时候

I find the protein.

找到了符合标准的蛋白质

And the name of the protein I'd located was called mesothelin,

这种蛋白质叫做

间皮素（mesothelin）

and it's just your ordinary, run-of-the-mill type protein,

是再普通不过的蛋白质

unless, of course, you have pancreatic, ovarian or lung cancer,

但是如果患了胰腺癌

卵巢癌或肺癌，自然另当别论

in which case it's found at these very high levels in your bloodstream.

患者血液里间皮素的浓度极高

But also, the key is that it's found in the earliest stages of the disease,

但关键还在于

间皮素在胰腺癌最早期就出现

when someone has close to 100 percent chance of survival.

在此时期几乎100%的病人

都可以存活

既然找到了赖以检测的蛋白质

So now that I'd found a reliable protein I could detect,

I then shifted my focus to actually detecting that protein,

我把焦点转向如何测出该蛋白质

and thus, pancreatic cancer.

进而诊断胰腺癌

突破来自意想不到的地方

Now, my breakthrough came in a very unlikely place,

possibly the most unlikely place for innovation --

或许是最不可能创新的地方：

高中生物课

my high school biology class, the absolute stifler of innovation.

绝对是扼杀创新的地方

(Laughter)

（笑声）（掌声）

(Applause)

我读到关于碳纳米管的文章

And I had snuck in this article on these things called carbon nanotubes,

是一种长薄的管状碳

and that's just a long, thin pipe of carbon

that's an atom thick, and one 50,000th the diameter of your hair.

只有一个原子的厚度

是头发的直径的五万分之一

And despite their extremely small sizes,

尽管碳纳米管的尺寸极小

they have these incredible properties.

却有惊人的性质

They're kind of like the superheroes of material science.

有点像物质科学的超级英雄

我偷偷地阅读这篇文章

And while I was sneakily reading this article under my desk in my biology class,

是在上生物课的时候

we were supposed to be paying attention to these other kind of cool molecules,

当时应该专心学习的是

另一种叫做抗体的酷分子

called antibodies.

And these are pretty cool because they only react

他们之所以酷是因为

with one specific protein,

只与特定的蛋白质起反应

but they're not nearly as interesting as carbon nanotubes.

但抗体远不如碳纳米管有趣

然后我在课堂上

And so then, I was sitting in class, and suddenly it hit me:

突然灵光一现

I could combine what I was reading about, carbon nanotubes,

我能把读到的

有关碳纳米管的特性

with what I was supposed to be thinking about, antibodies.

和我应该学习的抗体结合起来

Essentially, I could weave a bunch of these antibodies

基本上我可以把抗体

into a network of carbon nanotubes,

植入碳纳米管的网络中

such that you have a network that only reacts with one protein,

因此这种网络

只会与一种蛋白质起反应

but also, due to the properties of these nanotubes,

但也由于碳纳米管的特性

it will change its electrical properties,

网络的电性会改变

based on the amount of protein present.

根据蛋白质的含量而变

However, there's a catch.

然而，有一个弱点

These networks of carbon nanotubes are extremely flimsy.

碳纳米管的网络非常脆弱

这么纤弱的东西需要支撑物

And since they're so delicate, they need to be supported.

So that's why I chose to use paper.

因此我决定使用纸张

Making a cancer sensor out of paper is about as simple

用纸制作癌症传感器

就像制作巧克力饼干一样简单

as making chocolate chip cookies, which I love.

我很喜欢

(Laughs)

You start with some water, pour in some nanotubes,

要先把纳米管倒入水中

add antibodies, mix it up, take some paper, dip it, dry it,

再加入抗体混合起来

把纸浸入混合液，然后弄干

and you can detect cancer.

就可以检测癌症

（掌声）

(Applause)

Then, suddenly, a thought occurred

然后我突然想到

that kind of put a blemish on my amazing plan here.

我这个妙计有点瑕疵

I can't really do cancer research on my kitchen countertop.

我没有办法在厨房的台面上

研究癌症

My mom wouldn't really like that.

妈妈应该不会乐意

So instead, I decided to go for a lab.

所以我决定找一间实验室

So I typed up a budget, a materials list, a timeline, and a procedure,

我拟定预算和材料列表

实验进度和程序

and I emailed it to 200 different professors

寄给200位不同的教授

at Johns Hopkins University and the National Institutes of Health --

约翰霍普金斯大学的教授

以及国家卫生研究院的人员

essentially, anyone that had anything to do with pancreatic cancer.

基本上与胰腺癌相关的任何人员

I sat back waiting for these positive emails to be pouring in,

我坐在那儿期待赞美的电邮涌入

saying, "You're a genius! You're going to save us all!"

说“你真是天才”

“你会拯救全人类”

And --

（笑声）

(Laughter)

Then reality took hold, and over the course of a month,

然后现实来临

在一个月内

I got 199 rejections out of those 200 emails.

200件电邮中有199件遭到回绝

一位教授甚至费心检查了整个程序

One professor even went through my entire procedure,

painstakingly -- I'm not really sure where he got all this time --

真不知道他哪来的时间

and he went through and said why each and every step

说明为什么我的每一个步骤

was like the worst mistake I could ever make.

都像犯了有生以来最大的错误

Clearly, the professors did not have as high of an opinion of my work as I did.

显然教授们对此事的看法

不如我自认的那么重要

然而还有一线曙光

However, there is a silver lining.

One professor said, "Maybe I might be able to help you, kid."

一位教授说“年轻人，也许我能帮你”

So, I went in that direction.

于是我就锁定他了

(Laughter)

（笑声）

As you can never say no to a kid.

因为你总不好拒绝一位小孩

And so then, three months later,

所以三个月后

I finally nailed down a harsh deadline with this guy,

我终于和他敲定了严格的期限

and I get into his lab, I get all excited, and then I sit down,

我去他的实验室

我兴奋极了，然后坐下来

I start opening my mouth and talking,

开口说话

五秒钟后他召来另一位博士

and five seconds later, he calls in another Ph.D.

Ph.D.s just flock into this little room,

接着一群博士涌入小办公室

and they're just firing these questions at me,

他们连番问我犀利的问题

and by the end, I kind of felt like I was in a clown car.

结束时我觉得像在小丑车上

There were 20 Ph.D.s, plus me and the professor

20位博士再加上我和教授

挤在小小的办公室里

crammed into this tiny office space,

with them firing these rapid-fire questions at me,

他们连珠炮似地质问着我

trying to sink my procedure.

想要搞垮我设计的程序

How unlikely is that? I mean, pshhh.

他们能得逞吗？谁怕谁

(Laughter)

（笑声）

However, subjecting myself to that interrogation --

然而我被审讯的时候

I answered all their questions, and I guessed on quite a few

回答了所有的问题

不少是用猜的，但我都答对了

but I got them right --

我终于有了需求的实验室

and I finally landed the lab space I needed.

But it was shortly afterwards that I discovered my once brilliant procedure

但我不久之后就发现

我曾经认为绝妙的程序

had something like a million holes in it,

似乎有100万个漏洞

and over the course of seven months,

在七个月内

I painstakingly filled each and every one of those holes.

我煞费苦心地弥补每个漏洞

The result?

成果是这张小的纸制传感器

One small paper sensor that costs three cents and takes five minutes to run.

成本三美分，检测时间五分钟

This makes it 168 times faster,

速度快了168 倍

over 26,000 times less expensive,

成本便宜26000倍

and over 400 times more sensitive than our current standard

敏感了400倍

远超乎目前的胰腺癌检测标准

for pancreatic cancer detection.

（掌声）

(Applause)

One of the best parts of the sensor, though,

传感器的最佳效能之一

是近乎100%的准确度

is that it has close to 100 percent accuracy,

and can detect the cancer in the earliest stages,

并且可以在癌症最早期测出

最早期的存活率接近100%

when someone has close to 100 percent chance of survival.

And so in the next two to five years,

所以未来两到五年

this sensor could potentially lift the pancreatic cancer survival rates

传感器可能提高胰腺癌的存活率

from a dismal 5.5 percent to close to 100 percent,

从令人沮丧的5.5%

到接近100%

and it would do similar for ovarian and lung cancer.

对于卵巢癌和肺癌也将有类似效果

但是不止于此

But it wouldn't stop there.

By switching out that antibody,

如果变更抗体

you can look at a different protein, thus, a different disease --

可以检测不同的蛋白质

从而检测不同的疾病

potentially any disease in the entire world.

也有可能适用于世上任何疾病

So that ranges from heart disease, to malaria, HIV, AIDS,

所以从心脏疾病

到疟疾、 艾滋病毒、 艾滋病

as well as other forms of cancer -- anything.

以及其他形式的癌症——任何疾病

And so, hopefully one day,

希望有一天

we can all have that one extra uncle,

我们都可以多保有一位叔叔

that one mother, that one brother, sister,

一位母亲、 一位兄弟姐妹

可以多保有一位挚爱的家人

we can have that one more family member to love.

可以免除疾病造成的心里负担

And that our hearts will be rid of that one disease burden

that comes from pancreatic, ovarian and lung cancer,

包括胰腺癌、 卵巢癌、肺癌

and potentially any disease.

任何疾病都有可能

But through the Internet, anything is possible.

透过互联网一切都有可能

Theories can be shared,

理论是可以共享的

and you don't have to be a professor with multiple degrees

你不必成为多个学位的教授

想法才会受到重视

to have your ideas valued.

It's a neutral space, where what you look like, age or gender --

互联网是没有偏见的地方

长相、年龄、性别

it doesn't matter.

都不重要

It's just your ideas that count.

你的想法才重要

对我来说重点是

For me, it's all about looking at the Internet in an entirely new way,

要全新看待互联网

to realize that there's so much more to it

要认识到其功能太大了

than just posting duck-face pictures of yourself online.

不只是上网贴自己的嘟嘴照片

(Laughter)

你可以改变世界

You could be changing the world.

So if a 15 year-old who didn't even know what a pancreas was

如果有一位15岁的少年

连胰腺是什么都不知道

could find a new way to detect pancreatic cancer --

却能找出检测胰腺癌的新方法

想想看你能做些什么

just imagine what you could do.

Thank you.

谢谢

(Applause)

（掌声）