Researchers working on blood test to detect early brain metastases

Cancer researchers in the US are closer to creating a blood test that can identify breast cancer patients at increased risk of developing brain metastasis, and also monitor disease progression and response to therapy in real time. The discovery of identifying a distinct group of cells in the bloodstream of patients who have breast cancer brain metastases could lead to the creation of more sensitive screening tools. Published in the online issue of Nature Communications, a proof-of-concept study detected a distinct group of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) associated with brain metastasis. The finding brings cancer researchers closer to understanding how…