SCIENTISTS based at the Cancer Research UK institute in Manchester believe that, according to new research, a blood test could predict how well small-lung cancer patients will respond to treatment.
The scientists at the University of Manchester isolated tumour cells that had broken away from the main cancer from blood samples of 31 patients who all have aggressive forms of lung cancer. This type of isolated tumour cell is also known as a circulating tumour cell (CTCs).
By analysing the cells from their patients, the researchers could see how patterns of genetic faults in the cell measured before treatment may link to how long and how well a patient will respond to chemotherapy.
Lead researcher Professor Caroline Dive said: “By identifying differences in the patterns of genetic faults between patients, we now have a starting point to begin to understand more about how drug resistance develops in patients with this aggressive form of lung cancer.”
However, obtaining a tumour sample can be tricky. The sample is collected through a biopsy, otherwise known as an operation. But the tumour sample is very small and hard to reach, so because of this, they may be too small to actually give clues on how to best treat a patient.
And so, due to the difficulty, liquid biopsies have had to been introduced. A Liquid biopsy uses a technique that searches for important information in a patient’s blood and provides a snapshot of the disease.
Dr Emma Smith, Cancer Research UK’s science information manager said: “These liquid biopsies are an incredibly exciting area of research.
Studies like this help build a bigger picture of the disease, pointing the way to developing new treatments that are urgently needed for people with lung cancer.”
During their research, the team looked into the genetic changes that initially responded well to the treatment, but later relapsed. They discovered that the patterns in the cells were different to the patients who did not respond well to chemotherapy. From this the researchers could see that the results suggested different mechanisms of drug resistance had developed.
The team uses a machine called CellSearch, which uses magnets to catch cancer cells in a blood sample.
Unfortunately however, lung cancer cells are rare in blood. In a study, only 200 cancer cells were found in one millilitre of a patient’s blood, in contrast to around five billion red blood cells in the same amount of blood.
A circulating cancer cell carries something called EPCAM, which is a molecule found on the surface of the cell. Using magnets, the team can prepare a blood sample that will allow antibodies to attach microscopic metal beads to the EPCAM molecules.
Professor Caroline Dive said: “Our study reveals how blood samples could be used to anticipate how lung cancer patients may respond to treatments.
Unfortunately, we have very few treatment options for patients with SCLC, and none at all for those whose cancer is resistant to chemotherapy.”
Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity who dedicate themselves to their research in order to save as many lives as possible.
Dr Emma smith said: “Lung cancer causes more than one in five of all cancer deaths in the UK and it’s vital that we find effective new treatments to fight the disease and save more lives.”
Cancer Research UK is also working to prevent, diagnose and treat of cancer in order to help save millions of lives.
More information can be found on the work of Cancer Research UK here.
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