A new blood test can predict the return of breast cancer …

A new blood test could help predict whether women with bad cancer will respond to treatment before it starts.

Scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research in London said that "liquid biopsy" can detect genetic changes in patients' tumors and indicate whether they are less likely to respond to a new targeted drug.

These genetic modifications can also predict whether a patient's disease is likely to recur.

The research was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago.

Professor Paul Workman, director of the Cancer Institute, said, "The ability of cancer to evolve to become resistant to treatment is the greatest challenge we face in improving the survival and quality of life of patients.

"Liquid biopsy tests like this are a key part of our toolbox to stay above the adaptability and evolution of cancer and to detect the first signs of drug resistance.

A liquid biopsy can help predict whether a patient will respond to targeted therapy (Rui Vieira / PA)

"Detecting the potential of cancers to develop resistance could allow us to predict the next cancer movement and respond with new adaptive treatment plans."

Cancer DNA fragments in the blood samples of 310 women with bad cancer positive estrogen receptors – the most common form of disease – were badyzed during the course of the study. 39; study.

The patients had advanced bad cancer and were taking part in a trial of a targeted drug, palbociclib and fulvestrant.

The research team found that 42% of women had at least one of three changes in tumor DNA in their blood that put them at risk of early relapse.

Women whose circulating tumor DNA contained changes in the p53 cancer gene saw their cancer return after an average of 3.7 months.

This compared to 12.7 months in women without gene change.

An increase in other genes has also been found to predict when the cancer may return.

Professor Nicholas Turner, of the Institute of Cancer and Royal Marsden, said: "New targeted therapies such as palbociclib are starting to have a real impact on the survival of women with bad cancer, but unfortunately, many tumors that initially respond will develop back.

"Our study found that a new genetic test could detect early in treatment women whose cancer was most likely to quickly develop resistance to palbociclib.

"We could then adjust their treatment plan accordingly – by immediately testing additional treatments to try to prevent resistance, or by planning to switch to another treatment as resistance develops.

"We must now evaluate, in a clinical trial, whether support for direct management of women with this new test can improve survival and quality of life."