New Research: Blood test over Mammograms?

Mammogram problems
A recent study in the British Medical Journal suggested mammograms may actually increase the risk of breast cancer in young women with a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene due to the radiation exposure. False positives (where the test incorrectly shows breast cancer) and false negatives (where it fails to detect breast cancer) are also not uncommon.
“Mammograms aren’t 100 per cent accurate,” Butt says. “But they are the most valuable tool we have at present.”

Professor Helen Zorbas, CEO of Cancer Australia, agrees. “In Australia, population-based screening using mammography is the best early detection method available for reducing deaths from breast cancer.

“The BreastScreen Australia Program has reduced breast cancer mortality by up to 28 per cent in the target group [50 to 69 years] by enabling earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment.”

She says misdiagnosis is more common in younger women as their breast tissue is denser, making it more difficult to detect changes. After menopause the tissue becomes less dense.

“This is why mammograms become more effective as women get closer to 50,” Zorbas says.

New hope
Scientists hope the breast cancer blood test will be an effective screening tool for women of all ages and will also help doctors monitor how a cancer progresses.

“At present, when we detect breast cancer we don’t know what it is going to do,” Butt says. “Is it aggressive? Non-aggressive? We know of 10 different kinds of breast cancer, and one is very different to another. A blood test could guide treatment by pinpointing genetic abnormalities.”

There is hope the test could also be used to detect other cancers.

“It would be great if it worked for cancers that are hard to detect early on and that carry a high mortality rate, like ovarian cancer,” Butt says.

Another advantage of a blood test is the ease with which it can be carried out.

“At present, it is difficult for women in remote areas to be tested effectively,” Butt says. “It’s hard for the screening service to get to them, or for them to get to the screening service. A blood test could change that.”

Although the research is promising, it is in the early stages and the blood test won’t be available for five to 10 years.

“Thousands of blood samples need to be examined so we can say with certainty, yes, this is a breast cancer marker,” Butt says.

In the meantime, women are encouraged to check their breasts regularly.

“It is recommended that women of all ages, regardless of whether they have had mammographic screenings, are aware of how their breasts normally look and feel, and report any changes promptly to their GP,” Zorbas says.

Butt looks forward to a day when breast checks, blood tests and mammograms are all combined to provide doctors with as much information as possible.

“Information is the key for helping doctors recommend the correct treatment and helping women make informed decisions,” Butt says.

More blood-test breakthroughs
There are several other blood tests on the horizon or in use in limited capacities.

Down syndrome: This test for unborn babies is 99.1 per cent accurate and much less invasive than existing tests, but is not yet available in Australia. Blood samples can be sent overseas for testing, but it’s costly.
Autism: Trials to start in the US this year.
Bowel cancer: Developed in Australia, the test is currently being trialled and could be available later this year.

http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au

http://blog.thebreastcancersite.com/blood-test-detection/