A Simple Blood Test Can Determine the Efficacy of Chemotherapy

SadaNews - Results of a study presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology meeting revealed that a simple blood test could change how doctors determine who needs chemotherapy and its intensity, specifically for patients with colon or bladder cancer.

In one study, blood samples were taken from over a thousand patients diagnosed with stage three colon cancer approximately six weeks after they underwent surgery to remove the tumor.

If no traces of cancer DNA are detected in the bloodstream, the disease is classified as "low risk"; however, if such traces are present, it is considered "high risk".

A report on the study published in "Nature Medicine" indicated that the results of tumor DNA in the blood determine the intensity of treatment required for each patient.

Researchers stated that patients classified as low risk received less chemotherapy, resulting in reduced hospital stays and side effects such as nerve damage.

The researchers noted, "The results were excellent among patients whose condition was categorized as low risk based on tumor DNA levels in the blood, with 87% of them remaining cancer-free for three years following surgery."

An independent international trial published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" found that blood tests for circulating tumor DNA could also help guide treatment using the drug Tecentriq (Atezolizumab), an immunotherapy from Roche Pharmaceuticals, for patients who underwent surgery to remove bladder tumors that had invaded muscle tissue.

Dr. Joachim Palmgren, the study's lead, stated in a press release, "By selecting patients based on circulating tumor DNA in the bloodstream, we see benefits not only for cancer-free survival but also for overall survival using Tecentriq."

He added, "This is the first time an immunotherapy trial has shown a survival benefit for selected patients based on circulating tumor DNA testing."

Source: Reuters