Test to predict breast cancer

28 August 2015 - 09:43 By Staff reporters

A "revolutionary" blood test that can detect breast cancer relapses nearly eight months before they strike has been developed. Developed in London, the personalised blood test can detect "minute amounts of cancer DNA" in breast cancer survivors to predict if the disease will return.Created by scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research, the test finds the extremely small numbers of the cancer cells that survived chemotherapy and remain in a woman's bloodstream.The scientists detected the cancer DNA by creating personal tests based on the specific mutations in each patient's cancer. The test is unlikely to be available for some years."We are moving into an era of personalised medicine for cancer patients," said institute CEO Paul Workman. Women found with cancer DNA in their blood were 12 times more likely to develop cancer again than those who tested negative. ..

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