A groundbreaking study by British scientists has discovered that a highly sensitive blood test can predict lung cancer outcomes with remarkable accuracy. By measuring tiny fragments of tumour DNA in the bloodstream, researchers can now forecast a patient's likelihood of cancer relapse. The test's high sensitivity means doctors can make more informed treatment decisions and provide patients with clearer prognosis information. This research potentially opens new pathways for personalized cancer treatment and early intervention strategies.
"We've shown that the presence or absence of tumour DNA in the blood was strongly predictive of prognosis." - James Black, Francis Crick Institute by IANS
New Delhi, Jan 13: A team of
British scientists has found that a blood test used to detect circulating
tumour DNA can predict the outcome of lung cancer.
Key Points
1. Ultrasensitive
genome sequencing detects circulating tumour DNA
2. Low
ctDNA levels linked to better patient survival
3. New method offers more precise cancer progression insights
Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) is fragments of DNA
released into the blood by tumours. It’s known to be important for disease
prognosis but can be difficult to measure precisely.
In the study, scientists from the Francis Crick
Institute and University College London used a whole-genome sequencing platform
called NeXT Personal, which can detect very small amounts -- 1 part per million
-- of ctDNA.
They used the platform to test blood plasma samples
from 171 people with early-stage lung cancer.
The finding published on Monday in the journal Nature
Medicine showed that people with a low level of ctDNA before surgery were less likely
to relapse and had improved overall survival rates than people with a high
level of ctDNA.
The high sensitivity of the test meant that smaller
amounts of ctDNA could be detected, which prevented people with a lower amount
of ctDNA from being incorrectly labelled ctDNA negative.
“We’ve shown that the presence or absence of tumour
DNA in the blood was strongly predictive of prognosis. ctDNA testing,
especially using ultrasensitive platforms, could help clinicians make more
informed decisions about treatment and give patients a more accurate idea of
how their disease might progress,” said James Black, Postdoctoral Clinical
Fellow at the Francis Crick Institute.
Current treatment for early-stage lung cancer includes
removing the tumour by surgery and with chemotherapy or immunotherapy. The
treatment course depends on the stage of the tumour, which aims to achieve the
highest chance of cure.
Meanwhile, the team noted that the test will next be
assessed on samples from patients who have undergone surgery with the earliest
stages of lung cancer. This will help evaluate if the presence of ctDNA
post-operatively in blood can be used to infer future risk of relapse.
This could allow doctors to offer additional therapy
after surgery, increasing the chance of curing patients, the scientists said.
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