Breast Cancer Can Return After Treatment—New Blood Test May Spot It Earlier
Recurrence is currently generally diagnosed by mammogram, ultrasound, biopsies, scans, or blood tests to detect tumor markers.
A new blood test developed by researchers at Kumamoto University could detect the return of breast cancer earlier than traditional methods, a study suggests. The test analyzes cell-free DNA fragments in the bloodstream, known as cfDNA, which are fragments of DNA released from cancer cells into the blood. Unlike conventional methods that examine genetic mutations, this approach looks at the arrangement of DNA within cell nuclei, known as nucleosomes, to identify genetic changes in cancer cells.
The study analyzed blood samples from 150 breast cancer patients, including those with primary breast cancer and those with recurrent or metastatic breast cancer, and used machine learning to distinguish between primary and recurrent cancer with high accuracy. The researchers found that recurrent breast cancer was associated with increased numbers of genetic variants and shorter cfDNA fragments.
The test is less invasive than current methods, such as imaging or tissue biopsies, and could potentially enable earlier and more sensitive detection of recurrence. Dr. Jeffrey Richard Smith, a breast oncologist, emphasized the importance of early detection in breast cancer treatment, while Dr. Donna McNamara noted that the study's machine-learning model could help identify patients at risk for recurrent or metastatic disease and guide more personalized treatment decisions.
Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore the potential of this blood test in different breast cancer subtypes and patient populations.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
