Breast cancer could be detected by a simple blood test, according to a team of scientists from the University of Western Australia (Australia) who are working to find easier ways to detect this disease. Breast cancer is the most common among women, killing more than 500,000 of them worldwide each year.
What if we could detect it with a routine blood test? It is clear that this method would be cheaper and much less invasive than other tests such as biopsy. For this reason, Australian researchers are developing a test based on a blood test that can detect the progression of breast cancer or a relapse , much earlier than current methods, such as mammography, MRI or a biopsy.
They are currently selecting participants with breast cancer who want to participate in the study. Through tests before, during and after treatment , scientists aim to develop a new test that would improve cancer progression, follow-up and overall health outcomes.
“ Women living in rural and remote areas would benefit significantly from the new blood test to monitor their disease. Nowadays it is expensive, time consuming and physically exhausting for these women who have to travel to go for their regular treatment; The new test could be performed by a routine pathology lab anywhere, says Katie Meehan, a co-author of the work.
Research focuses on exosomes: cancer travel bags. “ We hope to show that when exosomes become undetectable in the blood, it indicates that the cancer is gone ; If the exosomes remain in the blood, it can identify the risk of cancer recurrence, ”says Meehan.
