Breast Cancer Found With Blood Sample?

Scientists with the Houston Methodist Research Institute are exploring the idea that early-stage breast cancer can be detected by a blood sample.  It has been found that blood proteins created by carboxypeptidase N (CPN) have been an accurate indication of breast cancer in mice.  This is due to the catalytic enzyme activity of CPN and its link to tumor growth in both animal and human breast cancer tissue samples.  The role of CPN is to modify proteins after the proteins are synthesized.  This research is the first that has proved that the CPN enzyme is more active and abundant in patients with breast cancer.  Tony Hu, Ph.D. and his fellow scientists took blood samples at various stages of development in both animals and humans and used MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to find that all six peptides of CPN were at a detectibly higher level than normal in those with breast cancer tissue present, including the first pathologic stage of breast cancer.  However, CPN enzyme levels in mice drop as breast cancer progresses, making it a not infallible detection method for later stages of breast cancer. 

This new technology is incredibly important and would change the lives of thousands of people.  It would provide a much less invasive and costly test, meaning that more people could afford to be tested for breast cancer more often.  I found this article interesting because breast cancer runs in my family and I have seen firsthand its dreadful effects on a person and their quality of life.  If cancer can be detected this easily, research should be continued to find a way to better this blood test and make it more widely available to people worldwide. 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131114113621.htm