Hope of blood test at home to spot cancer

BLOOD tests up to 10 times more effective than current methods could pave the way for cancer patients to monitor their disease at home, scientists say.

The new liquid biopsies detect tiny fragments of cancer DNA in the bloodstream, allowing doctors to monitor the disease without the need for surgery.

Liquid biopsies usually search for 10 to 20 mutations, detecting one mutant molecule in 30,000 pieces of DNA. But Cambridge University researchers have refined the test to search for thousands of mutations.

At peak performance they can spot one molecule in a million pieces of DNA.

Eventually the method may require just a pinprick of blood to be taken by a patient at home and sent to a lab for analysis.

Developed thanks to crucial funding from Cancer Research UK, the procedure can more accurately predict if cancer will return after treatment.

Although at an “early experimental stage” the technology is said to be advancing rapidly.

Chief executive Michelle Mitchell said: “Liquid biopsies have the potential to revolutionise all aspects of cancer care, from early detection to personalised treatment and monitoring.

“As a field that relies heavily on technology, this kind of proof-of-concept research is incredibly important for us to invest in as a charity. It’s what makes potential future leaps in the use of liquid biopsies possible – and ultimately saves more lives.”

After studying samples from 105 patients researchers were able to detect tumour DNA from advanced breast and skin cancer, as well as early stage lung cancer.

The findings were published in Science Translational Medicine.