Soon, blood test can detect breast cancer!

The study by genetic researchers can potentially eliminate the ever-present stigma and hesitation among women to undergo a physical breast examination and later mammography for diagnosis.

Hyderabad: A non-invasive, cost-effective, quick and robust method through blood test to detect breast cancer among women in the coming years could be a reality, with geneticists from Hyderabad and Trivandrum finding a novel way to utilise miRNA signatures for the early detection of the ailment.

The study by genetic researchers, whose work was recently published in Cell Communications and Signalling, a peer-reviewed science journal of UK-based Biomed Central (BMC) (February 2024), can potentially eliminate the ever-present stigma and hesitation among women to undergo a physical breast examination and later mammography for diagnosis.

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The researchers from the Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in collaboration with their counterparts in Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Medical College, Trivandrum, said: “This study revealed potential biomarkers for robust classification as well as rapid, cost-effective and early detection of IDC of breast cancer. Our findings have provided newer insights into the miRNA signatures for the classification and early detection of IDC.”

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) is the most common form of breast cancer, which accounts for 80 per cent to 85 per cent of all breast cancer diagnoses. Till half a decade ago, cervical cancer accounted for a majority of cancer cases but currently, breast cancer is the number one cause of cancer among women in India. Annually, a total of 1.9-2 lakh breast cancer cases (24-26 per cent) are reported in India.

The study, where 100 breast cancer samples were analysed, said: “Our results provide robust evidence that this approach can accurately differentiate IDC by type, grade and stage. Our process led to the identification of 34 novel miRNAs specifically associated with human Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC). Furthermore, we investigated the specific role of these miRNAs as either oncogenes or tumour suppressors.”

The researchers said the study is “the first to report a set of validated novel and signature miRNAs, which could potentially serve as IDC biomarkers across specific types, grades and various stages of cancer”.