A new blood test can predict the risk of breast cancer returning three years before any tumours show up on scans in an “incredibly exciting” breakthrough that could help more women beat the disease for good.
The test detects minuscule amounts of cancer DNA in the bloodstream. Trial results show it is so sensitive that it can accurately predict the risk of cancer coming back, months or even years before the usual signs or symptoms start to emerge. “While this research is still in its early stages, catching breast cancer recurrence earlier means treatment is much more likely to destroy the cancer and stop it spreading to other parts of the body, at which point it becomes incurable.”
Previous research has suggested ctDNA blood tests can identify relapse before it can be seen on a scan. However, these tests tend to use a technique called whole exome sequencing that typically looks for between 16 and 50 mutations. The new test uses whole genome sequencing and searches for 1,800 mutations, making it much more sensitive.