Blood test for breast cancer

THE holy grail of a blood test for breast cancer that is on track to replace the mammogram is in sight and is Olivia Newton-John’s Mother’s Day gift to women.

Developed by researchers at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, the test will initially be used to check whether cancer has returned in the 18,000 Australian women diagnosed and treated for breast cancer each year. And the test is scheduled to be in clinical trial within three years.

Associate Professor Alexander Dobrovic from Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute in Melbourne is behind the test which works by checking for tumour-specific DNA in the blood of breast cancer patients.

He has also been involved in developing a blood test to detect the return of melanoma.

The breast cancer research project has won a $385,000 grant from the National Breast Cancer Foundation ( NBCF) which has awarded over $9.2 million in its bid to cut breast cancer deaths to zero.

“We are thrilled to be awarding $9.2 million to such groundbreaking research studies and brilliant Australian research talent. This is a promising step as we strive towards Zero Deaths from breast cancer,” Professor Sarah Hosking, CEO of NBCF said.

One in eight Australian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

The most common cancer in women is usually detected using mammogram screening from age 50.

The new blood test works differently from scans and invasive tissue biopsies by checking for tumour specific DNA in the blood.

The amount of tumour DNA a patient has is directly related to the amount of cancer. It could be used every three months in women who already have breast cancer.