Blood test pairs cancer patients with best treatments
Scientists developed a blood test that pair a cancer patient with the best treatment and track the tumour’s progress. The research was published in Clinical Cancer Research.
Experts from The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden in London, looked at almost 160 blood samples from 39 cancer patients with different types of late-stage cancer.
The test filters out tumour DNA from a patient’s blood to be analysed for genetic faults. Based on the results, researchers can match the faults to targeted cancer treatments which then home in on cancer cells carrying these mistakes.
Tumour samples are usually only taken at the beginning of treatment, meaning that doctors may be using out-of-date information about how the genetic makeup of a patient’s disease is changing in response to treatment. But this approach could provide real-time updates, as well as helping doctors identify patients who are suitable for clinical trials of new drugs.
Study leader Professor Johann de Bono, from The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden, said: “Tumours and the gene faults that drive them are unique and constantly evolving. It’s crucial that we understand these changes so doctors can choose the best treatments for each patient.
Dr Kat Arney, Cancer Research UK’s science information manager, said: “Blood tests like these are the future of cancer treatment and this study proves that they can work in practice – helping us to diagnose, analyse and monitor tumours more easily.
Category: Features, Technology & Devices
