A new simple blood test could detect breast cancer up to five years before the emergence of clinical signs, according to a new research presented at the 2019 National Cancer Research Institute Cancer Conference in Glasgow.
Researchers from the Centre of Excellence for Autoimmunity in Cancer group at the University of Nottingham identified the presence of autoantibodies (AAbs) against 67 tumour-associated antigens (TAAs) which have already been shown to be involved in breast cancer pathology. This pilot study included 180 breast cancer-matched control samples.
They examined breast cancer-induced AAbs against different panels of specific TAAs and found that the assay provided cancer/control discrimination through the detection of AAbs against TAAs.
The team concluded the antigen panels were of sufficient sensitivity and specificity to diagnose breast cancer earlier based on serum profiling of AAb response.
“This opens the possibility of a blood test for screening and detection of breast cancer,” they said.
The researchers are now testing samples from 800 patients against a panel of nine TAAs. They estimate that, with a fully funded development programme, the test might become available in the clinic in about four to five years.
