Breast cancer can be detected long before symptoms appear

Scientists have discovered that breast cancer can be successfully detected several years before any symptoms manifest through a simple blood test. The results of this important study, which could enhance early diagnosis of breast tumours and improve treatment effectiveness, were presented at a recent conference of the National Cancer Research Institute.

The authors found that the body typically produces an immune response to developing cancer long before its clinical signs can be detected. This immune reaction can be captured through a blood test, researchers explain. Specialists thoroughly studied the specific proteins produced by malignant cells, known as tumour antigens. These antigens trigger the activation of the immune system, which begins to produce anti-cancer antibodies.

The team developed a panel of tumour antigens that were specifically produced by breast cancer cells. They then analyzed blood samples to see if the body had created autoantibodies against these antigens.

The scientists conducted a pilot study that included 90 patients with breast cancer. They took blood samples from women after they were diagnosed with the disease and then compared them with biological materials from a control group of 90 individuals without breast cancer.

After that, they used a special screening technology called a protein microarray to quickly analyze the collected blood samples for the presence of autoantibodies against 40 tumour antigens that they had identified as being associated with breast cancer. They also compared the autoantibodies with 27 antigens not associated with breast tumours to exclude systematic error or confounding factors.

“The results of our study showed that breast cancer indeed provokes the production of autoantibodies against specific tumour antigens. By identifying these autoantibodies in the blood, we were able to detect the disease with relatively high accuracy,” says Dania Alfattani, one of the research team members who presented their findings at the conference.

For this study, the team created three panels of tumour antigens on which they intended to test autoantibodies. When they studied the panel with a larger number of antigens, they found that the accuracy of the results increased. Using a panel of five tumour antigens, the scientists were able to detect the disease in only 29% of cancer patients, while the same panel showed a correct result in 84% of the control group. Another panel containing seven antigens successfully identified cancer in 35% of patients, and the third, which had nine antigens, identified it in 37%.

According to Dr. Alfattani, this was a pilot study, and much work remains to be done to verify its results: “We need to refine this method and prove its effectiveness. But even these preliminary results are encouraging and indicate that breast cancer can be detected at an early stage. Once we can improve the accuracy of this method, it will open the possibility of using a simple blood test for early disease detection.”

Currently, the team continues the research: they have recruited 800 patients with diagnosed breast tumours, whose autoantibodies isolated from their blood samples will be tested using the panel with nine antigens. “A blood test for early detection of breast cancer will be cost-effective and accessible, which is especially important for low- and middle-income countries,” says Dania Alfattani. “It will also be easier to implement compared to existing screening methods, including mammography.”

If the results are successful, scientists believe that within the next five years, the test will begin to be used in clinics for screening women for breast cancer. “Creating a blood test that can detect breast tumours at an early stage is our main goal,” the researchers noted.

“Early recognition of the disease using simple, non-invasive diagnostic tools capable of detecting the first signs of cancer is a strategic priority for us,” said Dr. Ian Frame, CEO of the National Cancer Research Institute. “I consider the results of this pilot study, which explores the possibility of using a blood test for early diagnosis of breast tumours, to be promising, especially given this team's successes in studying other types of cancer, particularly lung cancer. It is clear that they are just at the beginning of their journey, but we look forward to the results of a new, larger study with a bigger sample size.”

His enthusiasm is shared by Dr. Katrin Temchinait from the Breast Cancer Now charity: “The idea that a simple blood test in the future could help doctors detect autoantibodies that appear even before the development of breast tumours sounds promising,” she says. “This test will also help identify women who require more thorough monitoring.”