Blood Test to Predict Breast Cancer

A simple blood test could be used to predict breast cancer in women with predisposition, even if they do not inherit genes associated with the disease, scientists said on Friday.

Research has identified a molecular "switch" in blood samples that makes a woman vulnerable to breast cancer.

Breast Cancer - Causes, Risks, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Staging, Treatment, Prevention & Prognosis
Breast cancer is a cancer that affects the breasts or mammary glands. Early detection and lifestyle changes help in controlling breast cancer.

The marker is linked to the BRCA1 breast cancer gene but was also present in those who did not have the mutation and later developed the disease.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants are responsible for 10 percent of breast cancers and are inherited from parents.

A woman with the BRCA1 gene has an 85 percent risk of developing breast cancer, resulting sometimes in the drastic step of breast removal.

Exercise Improves Survival After Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Breast cancer patients can improve survival post diagnosis by engaging in moderate but regular physical activity, says breast cancer research community.

This leaves around 90 percent of breast cancer cases unexplained with no credible way of predicting the likelihood of non-inherited breast cancer.

Scientists claim that the "switch" is part of the process by which certain molecules acting on DNA cause genes to be activated or deactivated.

Breast Self Examination
Slides and animation of Breast Self Examination for early detection of breast cancer lumps in women

"We identified an epigenetic signature in women with a mutated BRCA1 gene that was linked to increased cancer risk and lower survival rates," lead researcher Professor Martin Widschwendter, from University College London, said.

"Surprisingly, we found the same signature in large cohorts of women without the BRCA1 mutation and it was able to predict breast cancer risk several years before diagnosis.

Interesting Facts About Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and in 2020 and nearly 2.3 million breast cancers were diagnosed globally.

"The data is encouraging since it shows the potential of a blood-based epigenetic test to identify breast cancer risk in women without known predisposing genetic mutations."

For their research the scientists analysed blood sample DNA from 119 postmenopausal women who later developed the disease over a period of up to 12 years, and 122 who remained cancer-free.

Source-AFP