"Advanced breast cancer patients notified through 'Liquid Biopsies' regarding the necessity of alternative treatments"
Liquid Biopsies: A Game Changer for Advanced Breast Cancer Treatment
Ready to revolutionize the fight against breast cancer? That's exactly what liquid biopsies, a cutting-edge diagnostic technique, is promising to do!
For over a decade, researchers and investors have touted liquid biopsies as potential "game changers" in cancer care. These ingenious blood tests can detect tumor cells and DNA in the blood, making them sensitive enough to spot even the smallest traces of cancer[1]. Now, new research is showing that liquid biopsies not only improve treatment for some patients with metastatic breast cancer, but they can keep their tumors under control for over a year!
In simple terms, liquid biopsies are like a smart detective for cancer. They can detect minuscule bits of DNA that have leaked out from tumor cells and are floating freely in the blood[2]. The most advanced liquid biopsies, like those used in the new study, take it up a notch, even detecting ominous changes in key proteins in cancer cells[2].
The latest research from the Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden hospital in the UK was published in The New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting in Chicago. The focus was on people whose breast cancers are fueled by estrogen. These patients typically require drugs designed to target specific proteins in breast cancer cells. However, if these proteins mutate, the drugs lose effectiveness, allowing the cancer to grow again[2].
This is where liquid biopsies come into play. They serve as an early warning system, detecting these mutations, which signals that patients need a different medication to continue controlling the cancer[2]. In fact, in the new study, patients who switched treatment based on liquid biopsy results were twice as likely to have their tumors controlled compared to study participants who didn't change therapy[2].
Currently, doctors look for signs that a cancer treatment is no longer working by performing imaging tests like CT scans or PET scans every three months. These scans help doctors see whether tumors are growing. But here's the catch—liquid biopsies can detect mutations up to nine months before the changes would have become apparent on scans[2]. That means cancer patients have the opportunity to abandon ineffective treatments as early as possible, switch to ones with better chances of controlling the cancer, and save themselves from unnecessary pain and worsening health[2].
In about 1 in 10 people in the study, liquid biopsies found that their cancer had developed mutations that would make their current treatment less effective[2].
The new approach, based on liquid biopsies, offers a significant improvement compared to the current practice, according to Dr. Nicholas Turner, study co-author and a professor of molecular oncology at the Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden hospital[2].
While liquid biopsies haven't replaced standard cancer screening methods like mammograms and colonoscopies, they are poised to play an increasingly important role in the landscape of cancer care. They demonstrate that these blood tests can help doctors monitor cancer and help them select treatments more likely to work[1].
Looking to the future, research is underway to develop liquid biopsies to improve the treatment of many types of cancer, including colon cancer[3]. In a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, scientists in Australia used tumor DNA in the blood to predict which people with early colon cancer would require chemotherapy after surgery, potentially eliminating unnecessary treatments for some patients[3].
This is just the beginning! As our understanding of cancer and the power of liquid biopsies grows, so too will their impact on cancer treatment and patient outcomes. Embrace the future, cancer fighters—it's looking brighter by the minute, thanks to amazing advancements in cancer care like the game-changing liquid biopsies!
Health news
Health newsFDA grants limited approval to new Covid vaccine from Moderna
health
healthExercise may benefit colon cancer patients as much as some drugs
- Liquid biopsies, a revolutionary diagnostic technique in cancer treatment, demonstrate potential in the field of 'health-and-wellness', particularly for patients suffering from 'breast-cancer'.
- New research suggests that liquid biopsies could be beneficial in the treatment of 'medical-conditions' like cancer, potentially extending control over tumors for over a year.
- Therapies and treatments for 'cancer' may be significantly improved through the use of liquid biopsies, as these tests can detect mutations up to nine months before they would be visible through conventional imaging, allowing for early intervention and better treatment options.
