Test Identifies Changes In Cell Metabolism Highly Accurate
- Date:
- University of Freiburg
- Summary:
- Medical researchers have developed an approach for detecting breast cancer by means of urine samples. The method involves determining the concentration of molecules that regulate cell metabolism and that are often dysregulated in cancer cells. These molecules, referred to as microRNAs, enter into the urine over the blood. By determining the composition of microRNAs in the urine, the scientists succeeded in establishing with 91 percent accuracy whether a test subject was healthy or diseased.
Researchers at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Medical Center University of Freiburg have developed an approach for detecting breast cancer by means of urine samples. The method involves determining the concentration of molecules that regulate cell metabolism and that are often dysregulated in cancer cells. These molecules, referred to as microRNAs, enter into the urine over the blood. By determining the composition of microRNAs in the urine, the scientists succeeded in establishing with 91 percent accuracy whether a test subject was healthy or diseased.
The measurement was possible through the detection of only four microRNAs. If the effectiveness of the method is confirmed in further studies, it could serve in the future as a means of monitoring the success of treatment and potentially also of making an early diagnosis of breast cancer.
Experimental test already highly accurate
Patent application
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What Is A Her2 Receptor And How Does It Relate To Breast Cancer
Healthy HER2 receptors are the proteins that help manage how a breast cell grows, divides, and repairs itself. However, in about a quarter of all breast cancer patients, the HER2 gene isnt functioning properly. It makes an excess number of copies of itself in a process known as HER2 gene amplification. Then these extra genes instruct the cells to make too many HER2 receptors, which is called HER2 protein overexpression. The ultimate result is that breast cells grow and divide in an uncontrolled fashion.
The HER2/neu test can discover whether the sample is normal or whether it has too much of the HER2/neu protein or an excessive number of copies of its gene. If you have been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer or have had recurrent breast cancer, your doctor may recommend this test. It will help your oncology team determine your prognosis, characteristics of the tumor including how aggressive the tumor is likely to be, and the best treatment options.
This test is often ordered in conjunction with the hormone receptor test. Typically, the breast cancer tissue sample from a biopsy or the tumor removed during a mastectomy is used. This test can take about a week to get the pathology results back, whereas determining if the cells are cancer usually is known in just a day or two.
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What Is A Complete Blood Count
A complete blood count measures three types of blood cells circulating in your bloodstream. The results can help healthcare providers diagnose cancer or detect whether cancer has spread.
In addition, some cancer treatments can affect blood counts, so your healthcare provider may recommend regular CBCs as youre going through treatment.
Each type of blood cell has a range thats considered normal or healthy. Labs use ranges because the number can vary from person to person or within the same person from day to day.
The three cell types and their ranges are:
- Platelets, which help blood clot. The normal range for platelet count is 150,000/milliliter to 400,000/mL.
- Red blood cells, which deliver oxygen throughout your body. Red blood cells may be measured in two different ways. Hematocrit is the proportion of red blood cells in your blood. The normal range for men is 40% to 55% and for women is 36% to 48%. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells. The normal range for men is 13.0/deciliter to 17.0 g/dL and for women is 11.5/dL to 15.5 g/dL.
- White blood cells, which fight infection. The normal range for white blood cells is 5,000/mL to 10,000/mL.
Many factors can affect your CBC. Your healthcare provider will help you understand what your numbers mean. The results must be considered along with other factors, such as symptoms and additional test results.
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Whether Its Your Family Your Career Your Friends Plans For Adventure Or All Of The Above None Of It Works Without You
You know that one out of eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime.¹ Thats why you take charge of your breast health: you monitor your breasts and maintain a healthy lifestyle. You also know that regular screening is a key part of maintaining breast health.
What you may not know is that for some women, screening by mammograms alone may not be enough.²³
Can I Have Cancer If My Blood Tests Are Mostly Normal
I have had pelvic/lower abdominal pain for about 8 months now. It is a continuous pain, some occasional blood in my stools. My Dad had Colon cancer at aged 50 and died at 56. My sister has polyps removed reguarly. I am 49 and had an early menopause. My blood tests are normal except for a high mean heamoglobin count? I had a sigmoid flex but it was clear. I have no idea what it could be but am worried it is an undetected cancer? Anyone have any thoughts on this? My GP does not seem concerned.
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Blood Test For Early Detection Of Cancer: Final Study Results Support Screening Use
by European Society for Medical Oncology
Final results from a study of a blood test that can detect more than 50 types of cancer have shown that it is accurate enough to be rolled out as a multi-cancer screening test among people at higher risk of the disease, including patients aged 50 years or older, without symptoms.
In a paper published in the leading cancer journal Annals of Oncology today, researchers report that the test accurately detected cancer, often before any symptoms arose, while having a very low false positive rate. The test also predicted where in the body the cancer is located with a high degree of accuracy, which could help doctors choose effective diagnostic tests.
GRAIL, Inc. , the company developing and funding the research, has now made the multi-cancer early detection test available in the U.S. by prescription only, and to complement other, existing screening methods such as those for breast, cervical, prostate, lung and bowel cancers. Many of the cancers that the test is capable of detecting do not have screening tests available, such as liver, pancreatic and oesophageal cancers, which are among the most deadly and where early detection could make a real difference.
Sensitivity of the test was 67.6% overall across stages I-III in 12 pre-specified cancers that account for two-thirds of cancer deaths in the U.S. each year , and it was 40.7% overall in more than 50 cancers.
Explore further
When Should I Know The Results Of My Cancer Blood Tests
Many blood test results are ready within a day or two, but others take several days to a week.
Your healthcare provider will let you know when to expect your results and discuss them with you at an appointment.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Blood tests can provide important information about your overall health, organ function and potential diseases. If youre having a blood test for cancer, ask your healthcare provider whats being tested and why. The results will be considered with several other factors, including symptoms and additional tests.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 02/01/2022.
References
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Biology Meets Machine Learning
The test works using a type of DNA released by tumor cells. This sheds into the blood, where it is known as cell-free DNA . It can be challenging to identify tumor-specific cfDNA, however, because many other cells also release DNA into the blood.
This test detects DNA that is specifically from cancer cells using changes to the DNA namely, the addition of a chemical called a methyl group, which is associated with tumor growth.
After isolating cfDNA from the blood sample and sequencing it to find the methylated parts, healthcare professionals can feed the results into a computer that can recognize DNA from cancer and noncancer cells.
The computer can then predict whether or not a person has cancer, and even what type it might be.
If your physician suspects cancer during physical examination or while taking a medical history, they might order certain cancer blood tests to guide the diagnosis. These blood tests are called tumor markers. Tumor markers could be specifically raised in certain cancers, and may give some idea about the origin of cancer and whether it is responding to the treatment protocol. These tests, however, are neither specific for certain cancers nor highly sensitive.
Other blood tests could be ordered. While these may not detect cancer or benign tumors, they can give a general idea about the functioning of the organ and indicate whether it has been affected by cancer.
A New Minimally Invasive And Inexpensive Blood Test Can Detect A Range Of Cancers In Patients With Non
The blood test is to be used to detect a range of cancers and whether these cancers have spread, or metastasised, in the body.
The study analysed samples from 300 patients with cancer symptoms, some of which were non-specific, who were recruited through the Oxfordshire Suspected CANcer pathway. Their symptoms ranged from fatigue to weight loss.
Published in Clinical Cancer Research, the researchers assessed whether the test could distinguish patients with a range of solid tumours from those without cancer.
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Blood Tests Have Come A Long Way
Historically, blood tests havent been the best way to detect cancer.
Even blood tests on people with blood cancers such as lymphoma and leukemia were ironically not the most effective way of determining whether a person has cancer.
But blood-testing technologies are now changing the way the disease is diagnosed and treated.
GRAILs technology is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of how genetics are revolutionizing cancer care.
In cancer biotech circles, the term blood test is out and the term liquid biopsy is in.
A liquid biopsy simply means an examination of cancer-related material from a blood sample.
Liquid biopsies havent yet replaced a tumor biopsy. But most people interviewed for this story agreed that liquid biopsies are showing great promise in facilitating individualized approaches to cancer treatment.
The Food and Drug Administration recently approved two blood tests that can help guide treatment decisions for people with cancer.
The tests, Guardant360 CDx and FoundationOne Liquid CDx, are made by different companies and were approved separately.
Oncologists have historically based treatment decisions on features like the organ in which the cancer started growing, whether the cancer has spread, and whether the patient has other health conditions.
Now they often use genetic changes in the tumor, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Certain targeted therapies and immunotherapies work best against tumors that have specific genetic changes.
Breast Cancer Lab Tests Identify Risk Diagnose And Guide Treatment
A variety of breast cancer tests can help determine a persons genetic risk for the disease as well as diagnose breast cancer in the early stages. Lab tests for breast cancer may also be used to:
- Analyze characteristics of the breast cancer to determine appropriate treatment options
- Determine whether breast cancer has metastasized
- Monitor the effectiveness of breast cancer treatments and identify any recurrence of breast cancer
Lab tests for breast cancer include blood testing and biopsy.
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What Are The General Warning Signs Of Cancer
While any persistent symptom warrants medical attention, watch for these signs and symptoms that could indicate a serious disease, including a malignancy:
- Unexplained weight loss with sudden loss of appetite that continues despite good nutrition.
- Persistent low-grade fever.
- White patches in the mouth.
- A lump or thickened area that can be felt through the skin.
Testing The Tumor Cells For Hormone Receptors
A hormone receptor is a specialized protein located on the surface of or within a cell. The receptor binds to the female hormones estrogen and progesterone, which flow through the blood. Once bound, the hormone signals the cell to start growing and multiplying.
Many breast cancer tumors contain hormone receptors, often in large numbers. When hormone receptors are present, estrogen and/or progesterone can fuel the growth of the cancer. Such hormone-dependent cancers often respond well to hormone therapy, which differs from hormone replacement therapy . If neither estrogen receptors nor progesterone receptors are present, the cancer is said to be hormone-receptor-negative, and hormone therapy would likely be ineffective. Knowing whether the cancer cells have hormone receptors can be valuable to your medical team and your treatment plan.
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Five Prevailing Cancers In America
Data from 2020 shows that cancer is a leading cause of death around the world. However, studies have proven that about 30% to 50 % of these deaths can be prevented with early detection and management. Fortunately, a blood test for cancer is now at the center of research to assess its use in diagnosing cancer cells at early stages. Here are the leading cancers in the US:
The Purpose Of Screening Tests
The thirsty cat whos losing weight needs blood tests so that common problems, such as overactive thyroids, diabetes or kidney disease, arent missed.
When these dont provide the answer, the suspicion of cancer rises. Also, there are 2 examples where clues to cancer do show up in the blood:
- Blood cancers, where too many of one type of blood cell are produced
- Bone marrow cancer, where too few of certain blood cell types are produced
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Complications Related To Lung Metastases
The lungs are the second most common site to which breast cancer spreads, with lung metastases occurring in roughly a third of people with metastatic breast cancer.
Sometimes this doesnât cause symptoms, and the lung metastases might only be found on an imaging test. The most common symptom is shortness of breath.
Local treatments, such as radiation or surgery, are sometimes used for the treatment of one or more lung metastases, and this may improve life expectancy.
What Is Cancer And How Does It Occur
Cancer is actually a group of diseases that begin in the bodys basic units of life the cells. There are trillions of cells in the human body that combine to form skin, muscle, bone, breast and blood. In normal cell behavior, cells grow and divide to produce more cells as needed. After a limited number of divisions, the cell is programmed to die, replaced by new, younger cells. What happens, however, when cancer develops, is a loss of control in normal cell growth. In simple terms, cancer is the overgrowth of abnormal cells. Over time, these abnormal cells form a mass of tissue a growth or a tumor that invades and destroys normal tissue. These abnormal cells can also spread throughout the body, resulting in metastatic cancer.
Research continues on the many causes of cancer, a complex disease that develops as a step-by-step process before it becomes lethal. What researchers know for certain is that while exact causes of many cancers are not yet known, both external and internal factors play a role in cancer developing, including genetics, aging, lifestyle choices, exposure to carcinogens and infections.
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Blood Test Could Spot Breast Cancer Early
HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, June 10, 2020 â A cutting-edge âlab-on-a-chipâ has shown promise in detecting early breast cancers and tumors that have developed in other parts of the body.
Roughly the size of a glass microscope slide, the EV-CLUE uses nanotechnology to pump a tiny amount of blood into eight miniscule channels equipped to detect different markers of cancer, explained co-researcher Liang Xu, a professor of molecular bioscience at the University of Kansas.
How tiny? The EV-CLUE requires about 2 microliters of blood to run a scan, Xu said. A typical droplet of blood contains 50 microliters.
Xu and his colleagues tested their lab-on-a-chip by equipping one of its channels to look for MMP14, an enzyme released by tumors that has been linked to cancer progression. The enzyme attacks healthy cells in ways that seem to promote the spread of cancer.
In early tests focused on MMP14, the device detected early-stage or metastatic breast cancer with 97% accuracy in a first group of 30 people and 93% in a second group of 70 people.
âThis highly sensitive technology can catch early signs of cancer metastases. The early detection for cancer metastases is key to reduce the death rate of women with breast cancer,â Xu said.
The problem is that once a breast cancer has migrated outside its original location, cancerous cells can hide undetected elsewhere in the body, Xu said. This technology could root out those hidden tumors.
Science Translational Medicine
Tests For Diagnosis And Staging
To diagnose inflammatory breast cancer, your doctor will perform a biopsy. Biopsy is a surgical procedure that removes some of the suspicious breast tissue for examination under a microscope.
Because inflammatory breast cancer usually does not begin as a distinct lump, but instead as changes to the skin, a skin punch biopsy is often used to make the diagnosis. During this type of biopsy, the doctor uses a circular tool to remove a small section of the skin and its deeper layers, and then stitches the wound closed. If your doctor can see a distinct lesion, he or she may perform an ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy. Ultrasound is an imaging method that places a sound-emitting device on the breast to obtain images of the tissues inside. Guided by the ultrasound, the doctor inserts a hollow needle into the breast to remove several cylinder-shaped samples of tissue from the area of suspicion.
If the biopsy shows that inflammatory breast cancer is present, your doctor will order additional tests to figure out how much of the breast tissue and lymph nodes are involved, and whether or not the other breast is affected. Breast MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, is considered the most reliable test for gathering more information about inflammatory breast cancer.
Once IBC is diagnosed, additional tests are used to determine whether the cancer has spread outside the breast to other organs, such as the lungs, bones, or liver. This is called staging. Tests that may be used include:
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