Researchers identify 'carbohydrates in a coal mine' for cancer detection

Carbohydrates serve as identifiers for cancer cells, researchers have discovered. Their findings show how these molecules may serve as signals for cancer and explain what's going on inside these cells, pointing to new ways in which sugars function as a looking glass into the workings of their underlying structures. "Carbohydrates can tell us a lot about what's going on inside of a cell, so they are potentially good markers for disease," the lead author notes.