The complex sugar molecules that festoon our cells are often treated as little more than biological decoration. A new study suggests they hold hidden patterns — distinct signatures that can separate one cancer from another.

By tracing the genetic machinery that sculpts these sugar tags, called glycans, scientists at KAUST have uncovered a sweet-and-simple diagnostic code, one that could make identifying and classifying tumors faster and more precise.

“We have created the building blocks for a one-stop classification system for all cancers,” says cell biologist Jasmeen Merzaban, who co-led the study.

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