Predictive Blood Test

I read in The Guardian today that a new blood test (referred to as a ‘liquid biopsy’ can predict the risk of breast cancer returning before tumours show up three years before scans. It’s hailed as an important breakthrough in treating the disease. The report states that test can detect tiny amounts in the bloodstream and is able to predict the risk of cancer returning.

The research is still in its research stages but the results so far are incredibly positive. I wonder when the test is going to be rolled out.

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Hi @Flowersandbees , this may be the circulating tumour dna test (ctdna). If so it is being trialled by the TRAK-ER clinical trial for breast cancer patients now and is available privately at a cost of approx £2k. There is a separate thread about the trial on this forum. I applied to join the trial but was refused as it excludes her2 positive patients. Maybe see you on the other thread which discusses the pros and cons. Love Tulip x

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Thanks Tulip29, I didn’t know about the TRAK-ER clinical trial. All the article states is that its a new test, and the results have been revealed at the American Society of Clinical Oncology and detects ‘minuscule amounts of cancer DNA in the bloodstream’. I wonder if its the same test. If it is, will the NHS roll it out?

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I spoke to my oncologist about the trial & she told me that “of course therell be cancer cells circulating” she didnt rate the test at all. Says they use it in America but “they put profit before patients” so that put me off.
She says a lot more research would be needed before its clinically proven.

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From my reading of the report, its a new test. Maybe I’m wrong, and also being over optimistic about its potential. I can see where you’re coming from Lukentyre1.

I’ve added the link (I hope this is ok with admin) in case anyone wants to read the piece in today’s paper.

Predictive blood test hailed as ‘incredibly exciting’ breast cancer breakthrough | Breast cancer | The Guardian

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Another article on the test.
Breast Cancer Now part-funded the study.

ASCO 2024: New ultra-sensitive blood test predicts recurrence of breast cancer, months or even years before relapse - The Institute of Cancer Research, London (icr.ac.uk)

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Thank you @Flowersandbees for highlighting this. I read the Guardian article today but hadn’t seen the Institute of Cancer research which gives far more details and includes Her2 positive patients too. This sounds so promising and I hope we will all be able to benefit from it soon :crossed_fingers::crossed_fingers:

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We do use it in America as it’s called the Signatura test here. There are mixed results and based on my research there is no way in hell I’d want it. The reason is because there is no set protocol for treatment if the results come back positive. Supposedly you will most definitely get a recurrence, probably within a year, and no one knows what to do about it. You just sit there on the tracks as the train barrels towards you. Once it’s out for a few more years and maybe we can prove that different treatments stop the recurrence from happening it would be worth it. But until then, personally, I want nothing to do with it. And for us I don’t know if the tests usage puts profit over patients. We’re actually pretty decent with that if you’re in a well rated hospital system. But we do tend to devote a lot of money towards research but since this isn’t a drug and instead is a test I think people are jumping on it before we understand how it plays out psychologically for patients.

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Very interesting perspective. I hadnt thoight about the sitting & waiting between a positive blood result & when the reoccurrence happens. Im not sure i could cope with that

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This is an article from BBC , early stage .
Breast cancer now partly funded the research .

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It is the same test as Trak er

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“Allowing treatment to start early”

What treatment? How would it differ from what the patient is already on? And most importantly does it stop the recurrence from happening? Right now no one knows the answer. Shouldn’t be too much longer before we do though and then signatura would be worth it. But right now? You’re a test subject and you’d need to know before starting it whether you’re okay with that.

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You’ve raised an interesting point about what happens if you receive a positive result. Maybe our health care systems work differently. I’d like to think that an individualised treatment plan would follow soon after, and some mental health support as well, as can is a rough ride emotionally.

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Waiting between results and treatment isn’t great… I was fortunate last year in accessing mental health support following diagnosis and through treatment. I’d like to think it would be the same again.

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Thanks for posting the article. Researchers seem very positive about the test.

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Good question!

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Thanks for the extra info, everyone. (I did read the BBC News report.)
As always with new hopeful medical discoveries, it tends to be a long, long time before they are readily available, even more so through the NHS. I follow Michael Mosley’s health TV and radio progs. Access to Items featured seems difficult / impossible a lot of the time. The fragile state in which the NHS is currently, I doubt it will be freely handing out tests, even once they do have a better plan about how to follow a positive result, treatment/support -wise.

As Kay astutely points out, unless new treatment is developed that can actually better target very early-stage cancer cells and prevent recurrence of tumours, there seems little point in knowing. I suppose a few more people would be inclined to have chemo and/or take AIs if they knew they were definitely heading for a recurrence.
But generally, all current trials, experiments and developments, and the taking-on-board of such tests and treatments are - sadly for us - likely to benefit future generations, once they’ve been tried and tested for a few years. Still, positive news in that sense.

I’m still hoping for research into lobular breast cancer to catch up with years of the focus being heavily on ductal breast cancer. Now they know how different a beast it is, we need targeted effective treatment for that first !

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They might only offer it to ladies who were “high risk”. Like the oncotype is restricted :face_with_symbols_over_mouth:. My lobular didn’t show on a mammogram , so improving the screening programme would be a good start .

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I know I couldn’t. So until they know what to do with a positive test and can pinpoint what works and doesn’t work I want nothing to do with it.

I agree with Kay. Let us get on with the life we have and the treatments we have to undergo. Knowing i have tumor cells ready to recur with no proven treatment to “clear” these cells would unnecessarily freak me out. I would definitely feel like a sitting duck and worry rather than concentrate on healing.

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