Scientists Develop Blood Test That Can Show Breast Cancer Treatment Effectiveness in Just One Month

Breast cancer is one of the most serious and common diseases affecting women, and treatment does not work the same way for every patient. Now, scientists have developed a new DNA blood test that can determine whether a treatment is effective for a patient within just four weeks of starting therapy.

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022, and nearly 670,000 lost their lives to the disease. Experts emphasize that early detection and timely treatment can significantly improve the chances of recovery.

Challenges in Treatment
Breast cancer has multiple treatment options, but their effectiveness varies from patient to patient. For doctors, it is often challenging to decide which drug or therapy will provide the maximum benefit for an individual patient. To address this challenge, scientists are continuously working on advanced technologies.

A team at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London has now developed a DNA blood test that can predict how well a patient will respond to treatment. The study has been published in the Clinical Cancer Research Journal.

Liquid Biopsy Technique
The research involved 167 patients, whose blood samples were collected before treatment and four weeks after treatment began. Using a technique called liquid biopsy, scientists measured tiny amounts of cancer DNA in the blood.

Understanding the DNA Factor
The test examines circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), which is DNA shed by cancer cells into the bloodstream. The study found that patients with lower ctDNA levels at the start of treatment responded better, and the same trend was observed after four weeks.

Why This Test Matters for Doctors
According to Dr. Isolt Brown, a Clinical Research Fellow at ICR, this simple blood test can help doctors determine early on whether a treatment will work. This allows them to avoid ineffective medications and adjust the treatment plan promptly, potentially saving precious time.

New Treatment Options
If the blood test indicates that a treatment is ineffective, patients can be offered alternative therapies, new drug combinations, or participation in clinical trials, giving doctors the opportunity to control the cancer before it progresses further.

Study Groups and Results
Patients in the study were divided into two groups based on cancer type and gene mutations. The first group had patients with specific gene mutations who received targeted therapy accordingly. The second group consisted of patients with triple-negative breast cancer, who were given a combination of two drugs.

A Major Shift in Breast Cancer Treatment
Scientists are now investigating whether adjusting treatment based on early blood test results can improve patient survival and quality of life. If successful, this approach could represent a significant breakthrough in breast cancer care.