Scientists at Leuven University (KU Leuven) and Leuven University Hospital’s (UZ Leuven) Centre for Human Genetics (CME) have developed a blood test that allows the early detection of cancer. The new test is able to detect both genetic mutations and specific features of the DNA of cancer cells. This significantly boosts the accuracy of the test.
Currently, tissue from cancer is mostly examined by means of a biopsy. A doctor removes a piece of cancerous tissue or cancerous cells from the patient’s body. Once this is done, its genetic composition is analysed.
Professor Joris Vermeesch is a geneticist at the Centre for Human Genetics in Leuven (Flemish Brabant). He told the press agency Belga that “Because this technique is invasive for some tumours, there has been many years of research into developing blood tests that can detect cancer”. Now for the first time we have succeeded in detecting two cases with one blood test.”
The test developed by CME works on both genetic and epigenetic changes in cancer cells. It detects both mutations that can cause cancer and changes in the way DNA is picked up in the cell.
“These DNA fragments form a kind of fingerprint of the tumour. Combining classical mutation screening with DNA fragment analysis seems to make the test much more sensitive.”
The test is able to detect various cancers more accurately and probably at an earlier stage than is currently the case. However, further clinical studies are still needed. The test also opens up perspectives to better tailor treatment, measure its effect and detect relapses earlier. The test can easily be carried out repeatedly on the same patient.