New blood test can diagnose breast cancer up to one year earlier

Study identifies new markers in the blood that allow early diagnosis of fatal breast cancer

In a recent study published in the journal Genome Medicine, researchers discovered changes in some of the DNA that could indicate early signs of fatal breast cancer. The abnormal patterns were already detectable in the blood serum before the cancer infested the breast. With the help of this detection method, fatal breast cancers can be diagnosed up to one year earlier.

A team of researchers from University College London (UCL) found that in breast cancer, small molecules of carbon and hydrogen are attached to a specific marker (EFC # 93) in one process. This process is called DNA methylation. Abnormal DNA methylation is common in human tumors. In breast cancer development, methylation changes occur very early. "Our study provides the first evidence that DNA methylation markers such as EFC # 93 are a highly specific indicator that can diagnose fatal breast cancers up to one year earlier," said Professor Martin Widschwendter of UCL. This could allow individualized treatment, which could even begin without radiographic evidence in the breast.

Newly identified markers in the blood allow the diagnosis of fatal breast cancer up to one year earlier. (Image: pathdoc / fotolia.com)

Methylation marker or mammography screening?

The researchers first analyzed the DNA methylation of EFC # 93 in blood serum samples from 419 breast cancer patients. According to Widschwendter, the presence of the DNA methylation marker EFC # 93 in blood serum identified the women who developed fatal breast cancer within the next three to six months in 43% of the cases. "Importantly, EFC # 93 did not detect early non-fatal breast cancers," Widschwendter reports. In comparison, mammography screening has a specificity of up to 92 percent, but leads to a very significant overdiagnosis. "This means that tumors are discovered that would never have caused clinical symptoms," Widschwendter said. The use of cell-free DNA as a marker is a promising way to avoid this problem.

Antihormone therapy for women with early-detected breast cancer

Clinical studies are now needed to assess whether women who have DNA methylation markers EFC # 93 and who do not have a cancer that is detectable by mammography would benefit from anti-hormone therapy before the study was published Cancer in the chest becomes visible. The team of Professor Widschwendter is currently preparing a large-scale cell-free DNA research program for the population. (Fp)