Promising new 'liquid biopsy' blood test could improve cancer treatment

Doctors are hopeful that a new blood test, called a "liquid biopsy," could dramatically improve the way they monitor and administer cancer treatment. Utilizing new, highly sensitive techniques, the test detects cancer DNA in the bloodstream. The idea to monitor cancer this way grew out of the discovery made years ago that fetuses give off DNA fragments into the mother's bloodstream. As it turns out, all growing cells — including tumors — shed tiny DNA fragments. Though more evaluations of the test's reliability are needed, the early results are promising:

Because the new test is much less invasive than a traditional biopsy, doctors could monitor progress more regularly, decide quickly if a treatment is working or not, and abandon ineffective treatments, sparing the patients grueling side effects. Dr. José Baselga, physician in chief and chief medical officer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center said, “I cannot do a weekly liver biopsy and see how things are going, but I can do a blood test every week.”

The liquid biopsy could also be more efficient than a CT scan, which can take weeks or months to register tumor shrinkage.

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