New test 'accurately' spots the most
deadly forms of breast cancer BEFORE they spread
A new test for breast cancer can accurately spot the most
aggressive tumours before they spread.
Scientists have created a technique that identifies which
cancers are most likely to grow aggressively, enabling them to take action to
stop the spread.According to initial trials of the test, developed by the
Institute of Cancer Research in London, doctors were able to spot women at the
highest risk of dying from their disease.
The test could now be used to tailor treatment for women at
the highest risk.
Scientists modified methods initially developed by wildlife
experts to identify ecological diversity in the natural world. They adapted the ecologists’ computer algorithm to use it on
tumour samples.
Tumours with a greater diversity of types of cell tend to be
the most aggressive, and most likely to eventually become fatal.
The cancer team found that they could use the naturalists’
approach to give each tumour a ‘diversity score’ - which they showed was an
accurate predictor of how dangerous it would become.
In a trial of 1,000 women, they found that those whose
tumours had the highest diversity score were three times more likely to die
within three five than those with the lowest score.
According to results published in the journal PLOS Medicine,
at-risk women had just a 16 per cent of surviving five years, compared to 50
per cent for those with the most stable tumours.
Most forms of cancer become far more dangerous once the
disease spreads through the body, creating secondary tumours.Primary breast cancer, for example, is relatively easy to
treat at an early stage because it can be simply removed with surgery and
treated with chemotherapy.
According to results published in the journal PLOS Medicine, at-risk women had just a 16 per cent of surviving five years, compared to 50 per cent for those with the most stable tumours.
According to results published in the journal PLOS Medicine, at-risk women had just a 16 per cent of surviving five years, compared to 50 per cent for those with the most stable tumours.
Most forms of cancer become far more dangerous once the
disease spreads through the body, creating secondary tumours. Primary breast cancer, for example, is relatively easy to
treat at an early stage because it can be simply removed with surgery and
treated with chemotherapy.
But once the breast cancer has spread - usually to the bones, liver or
lungs - it is much more likely to be fatal.The scientists hope that they will be able to use the new
system, called the Ecosystem Diversity Index, to change the way they treat
women with the most aggressive cancers.
But once the breast cancer has spread - usually to the bones, liver or
lungs - it is much more likely to be fatal.The scientists hope that they will be able to use the new
system, called the Ecosystem Diversity Index, to change the way they treat
women with the most aggressive cancers.
This could involve simple surgery, or might utilise emerging
treatments which can isolate certain strains of cancer and stop them spreading. Study leader Dr Yinyin Yuan of the Institute of Cancer
Research said: ‘Our findings show that mathematical models of ecological
diversity can spot more aggressive cancers.
‘By analysing images of the environment around a tumour
based on Darwinian natural selection principles, we can predict survival in
some breast cancer types even more effectively than many of the measures used
now in the clinic. ‘In the future, we hope that by combining cell diversity
scores with other factors that influence cancer survival, such as genetics and
tumour size, we will be able to tell apart patients with more or less aggressive
disease so we can identify those who might need different types of treatment.’
Professor Paul Workman, chief executive of the Institute of
Cancer Research added: ‘This ingenious study has combined techniques developed
in ecology and cell biology with computer vision technology to develop a
totally new predictive test which could ultimately be used for patients in the
clinic. ‘By better understanding these ecosystems, we aim to create
new ways to diagnose, monitor and treat cancer.’
Katie Goates of the Breast Cancer Now charity, said: ‘This
is a completely new approach, building on ecological principles to analyse the
types of cell in a breast tumour as if they were species of animals in a given
area.‘This study confirms previous findings that the different
types of non-cancer cells within a tumour can influence and – more importantly
– tell doctors how a tumour is going to progress.
‘By using a method usually seen in ecology, the study is a
real reminder of the need to be open to innovative ideas from anywhere in
science in order to make progress on breast cancer.
‘We look forward to further work using this unique approach
that will help us better understand the environment of cells that exists in and
around tumours; ultimately, this could help us predict patient outcomes and
plan treatment responses more effectively.
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