Simple blood test could monitor treatments

luv_gardening

Simple blood test can detect genetic faults in patients with cancer

A simple and cost-effective blood test could be used to monitor how a patient is responding to treatment and detect genetic faults in their cancer as they happen, according to a Cancer Research UK study. 

The researchers were able to build a 'real-time' picture of how one woman's breast cancer was responding to treatment over more than a year.

As treatments become more targeted towards genetic mutations, this approach could mean that a patient is given certain treatments based on the results of a quick blood test, sparing them from an invasive biopsy. 

Anonymous

if this works its a major advance in BC treatment

real time cancer treatment

Biopsy in a blood sample, treatment could be adjusted on a weekly or monthly basis,

quickly telling you what meds are working and which one are not

jenrio

This is wonderful if such a test is found for breast cancer, even better used in all clinical trials and proven to be an alternative end point.    

Imagine a programmer has to wait 5 years to know whether her code works, then she debugs the code and tweaks it, and has to wait another 5 years.   That's the current situation of a scientist trying to find new drugs for curing cancer.

If there is a real time monitoring of cancer, then this debugging process can go in warp speed. 

Thanks for sharing!

luv_gardening

I find quite a lot of interesting studies on a Facebook group with the unfortunate name "I love Boobies (Fighting Against Breast Cancer)". 

They post a lot of rah rah pink ribbon stuff, along with studies from odd sources, eg Times of India for the above news.  I tend to then use key words from the study to find a more reliable or detailed report.

I sometimes don't know which studies are appropriate to post here, but this one struck me immediately as groundbreaking for the reasons you've both mentioned, also it may cut down on the number of scans required for patients.  Less radiation, time, inconvenience, cost and scanxiety.  This would also cut costs for researchers.  People wouldn't be subject to months on a damaging chemo only to find out it's not worked, so improving QOL.

Combine this with pCR being allowed as a study endpoint and it opens the way for vastly faster drug approvals.

luv_gardening

It seems to me that if oncologists could order a cheap blood test to see the results of their treatment choices, what's to stop them from noticing which patients have had better or worse outcomes after using different doses, timing and combinations including supplements and alternative treatments? Treatments would become individualised.

For example, a patient might decide to fast for days before chemo as mentioned in one study, another might be taking antioxidants.  After a while the oncologist might notice different results and collect information regarding supplements and lifestyle choices that might affect the treatments.  On talking to their colleagues they may notice some improvements or additions that are working, so improvements would take off very quickly and soon warrant further studies.  I think the dividing line between conventional, complementary and alternative will soon fade away if this blood test becomes widespread.  The bottom line will be, what actually works for this individual!

Chris13

INteresting, but no mention on where the test is in the trials process or estimates on when it would be available/costs/etc.

So much is happening these days.....we need to hang in there!