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Breakthrough Blood Test Predicts Breast cancer Treatment Success with Striking Accuracy
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A new blood test developed by researchers in England offers the potential to revolutionize breast cancer treatment, predicting with remarkable accuracy how individual patients will respond to specific therapies. This innovation promises to accelerate treatment decisions, personalize care, and significantly improve outcomes for millions diagnosed with the disease each year.
More than two million people worldwide receive a breast cancer diagnosis annually,making it the most prevalent cancer among women. Now, a liquid biopsy – analyzing circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) released by cancer cells into the bloodstream – is offering a non-invasive pathway to tailor treatment plans with unprecedented precision.
Identifying the Right Treatment, Faster
The study, conducted by the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London, examined blood samples from 167 patients with advanced breast cancer. Samples were collected both before the start of treatment and again four weeks into therapy. Researchers divided the patients into two distinct groups to assess the test’s efficacy across different breast cancer subtypes.
The first group comprised women whose cancers exhibited specific genetic mutations – ESR1, HER2, AKT1, AKT, or PTEN – and were receiving targeted treatments designed to address those mutations. The second group consisted of patients with triple-negative breast cancer, a especially aggressive form of the disease affecting 10 to 15 percent of all cases, characterized by the absence of these directly targetable mutations.
dramatic Results in Triple-Negative Cases
The results were particularly striking in patients with triple-negative breast cancer. Those with low levels of ctDNA before beginning treatment experienced significantly longer disease-free survival – averaging 10.2 months – compared to those with higher ctDNA levels, who averaged just 4.4 months. Moreover, 40 percent of women with low ctDNA levels responded positively to treatment, a stark contrast to the 9.7 percent response rate among those with higher levels.
In the group receiving targeted therapies for cancers with specific mutations, a clear correlation also emerged between ctDNA levels and treatment success.After four weeks of therapy, patients with undetectable ctDNA remained disease-free for an average of 10.6 months,while those with detectable ctDNA experienced progression after only 3.5 months. This timeframe extended to 12 months versus 4.3 months in the triple-negative group.
“By analyzing circulating tumor DNA in blood samples from patients with advanced breast cancer, we have found a clear association between these levels – both at baseline and after a course of treatment – and response to therapy,” explained Dr.Iseult Browne, the study’s lead author.”These results support the use of ctDNA as a non-invasive biomarker to predict treatment success and monitor therapy response.”
Potential for Early-Stage Application
Professor Nicholas Turner, a leading expert in molecular oncology at the ICR, emphasized the broader implications of this research. “this research relates to advanced breast cancer, but such tests could also work on early-stage breast cancer,” he stated. The blood test, he believes, has “the potential to make treatment decisions faster, more personalized and ultimately more effective.”
Researchers envision a future where this technology allows for a more precise and individualized approach to cancer treatment. “Our study shows that a simple blood test can provide an early prediction of whether a patient’s breast cancer will respond to treatment,” Browne added. This knowledge empowers clinicians to avoid ineffective therapies and proactively explore alternatives, such as different targeted medications, combination therapies, or enrollment in relevant clinical studies.Ongoing research is focused on determining whether these treatment adjustments, guided by ctDNA analysis, can further enhance patient prognosis.
this innovative blood test represents a significant step forward in the fight against breast cancer, offering hope for more effective, personalized care and improved outcomes for patients worldwide.
- Liquid Biopsy – A non-invasive method of analyzing circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) released by cancer cells into the bloodstream.
- Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA) – Fragments of DNA released by cancer cells that circulate in the bloodstream, providing a snapshot of the tumor’s genetic makeup.
- Triple-Negative Breast Cancer – An aggressive form of breast cancer lacking common receptors (ER,PR,HER2),making it challenging to target with conventional therapies.
- Disease-Free Survival – The length of time after treatment during which a patient remains free of cancer.
- Biomarker – A measurable substance or characteristic that indicates the presence or severity of a disease.
- Combination Therapies –
