Scientists take step towards simple blood test for breast cancer

A new study has demonstrated the potential effectiveness of a simple blood test that could be used in the early detection of breast cancer in the future.

Scientists at the Houston Methodist Research Institute have found that the free-floating blood proteins created by the enzyme carboxypeptidase N (CPN) can be used to accurately predict the presence of early-stage breast cancer tissue in mice, as well as a small population of human patients.

Technology being developed by the team combines nanotechnology and advanced mass spectrometry to separate and detect extremely low levels of small proteins created by CPN, which are believed to originate in or near cancerous cells.

This technology is not yet available to the public and may not be for years, but could form the basis of the first inexpensive laboratory test for the early detection of breast cancer.

Biomedical engineer Dr Tony Hu, who led the project, said: "What we are trying to create is a non-invasive test that profiles what's going on at a tissue site without having to do a biopsy or costly imaging."

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, with about 48,000 women getting the disease each year.