A simple blood DNA test could help doctors identify the best treatment options faster in patients with lung cancer.
The test will be offered to 10,000 patients in England over the next 12 months whose scan results indicate probable small-cell lung cancer, as part of the expansion of an NHS pilot. The test looks for mutations in any of 75 cancer-associated genes, and returns results within 14 days – faster than a standard biopsy – allowing patients to access targeted treatment sooner.
The test 'has the potential to help many more cancer patients access targeted treatments more rapidly on the NHS, to make personalised treatments available sooner, and ensure that people with cancer have the best possible chance of survival,' according to Professor Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer at NHS England.
Tumour cells typically release small fragments of DNA into the bloodstream, known as circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA). Tests that can identify these fragments in a blood sample are sometimes called 'liquid biopsies', and can be used to sequence the tumour DNA, and describe the mutations which are driving the tumour's growth. Many of these mutations can then be targeted by specific medications, while earlier diagnosis can mean that less invasive treatment is viable instead of radiation or chemotherapy.
For Kat Robinson, who was part of a smaller initial study of the test, the ctDNA test identified that her stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer was caused driven by two genetic mutations. Consequently, she was prescribed brigatinib, a precision treatment that is highly effective against cancers with one of the genetic mutations she has.
'The tablets help me keep my cancer in check, they are allowing me to carry on with my day-to-day life. I can do things with my family – I can be a mum to my daughter,' she said.
Lung cancer is one of the most common adult cancers, with 34,000 patients diagnosed annually in England. Of these, approximately 80 percent of cases are non-small cell lung cancer, which the new blood test is appropriate for. If the trial shows that the blood test does improve patient outcomes, compared to standard tumour biopsies, it could be rolled out as part of standard care in future.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.