A new study by scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust has found that a simple blood test is capable of detecting specific genetic mutations in breast tumours and helping to guide treatment for patients.
The blood test will provide clinicians with a better knowledge of the genetic characteristics of individual breast cancers.
It can also be used to guide and adjust treatment for breast cancer patients without the need for invasive and risky tissue biopsies.
By using the test to analyse tumour DNA traces circulating in the blood, researchers can identify mutations that influence cancer growth and provide resistance to treatment.
