Ultra-sensitive Blood Test for Breast Cancer

In the past, the detection of breast cancer has been a major concern due to the difficulty of detecting the cancer at its early stages. Most of the time female breast cancer patients aren't diagnosed with the disease until the cancer has progressed, and this makes treatment less effective. This article is addressing this detection issue. Now an international research group is developing a new, "ultra-sensitive" blood test for breast cancer that should make this detection occer earlier for patients. The test will also allow an easier administration that the traditional mammogram. This new test, if proven effective, could be used not only in the detection of breast cancer, but also for prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, and melanoma. This test will be useful for these cancers because they are all epithelial cancers; the cancers originate in the epithelial cells of the body. This test will be more sensitive in breast cancer detection in younger women as well because it would be more sensitive than a mammogram. Overall, if this "ultra-sensitive" blood test is proven effective and successful, the outcome for many cancer patients will be more positive, and thus give patients more of a fighting chance in their battle with cancer.

By: Pamela Myers

site: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060826215007.htm