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Noninvasive blood test can detect cancer 4 years before conventional diagnosis
Reporter : Irina Robu, PhD
Several international researchers at Fudan University and at Singlera Genomics have developed a noninvasive blood test, PanSeer that can detect whether a patient with five common type of cancers such as stomach, esophageal, colorectal, lung and liver cancer; four years before the condition can be diagnosed by the current methods. Early detection is significant for the reason that the survival of cancer patients increases when the disease is identified at early stages, as the tumor can be surgically removed or treated with suitable drugs. Yet, only a partial number of early screening tests exist for a few cancer types.
The blood test detected cancer in 91 percent of samples from individuals who have been asymptomatic when the samples were collected, but only diagnosed with cancer one to four years later. It was found that the test can accurately detect cancer in 88 percent from samples of 113 patience who were diagnosed. The blood test also detects cancer free samples 95 percent of the time.
What is clear is that the study is unique, in that the scientists had access to blood samples from patients who were asymptomatic but not diagnosed yet. This permitted the researchers to design a test that can find a cancer marker much earlier than conventional diagnosis. The sample were collected as part of 10-year longitudinal study started in 2007 by Fudan University in China.
The researchers highlight that the PanSeer assay is improbable to predict which patients will later go on to develop cancer. As a substitute, it is most possible identifying patients who already have cancerous growths, but continue to be asymptomatic for current detection methods. The team decided that further large-scale longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the potential of the test for the early detection of cancer in pre-diagnosis individuals.
The findings are summarized nicely in the NPR article from Joanne Silberner below but just want to list a few takeaways from the study
Ovarian Cancer, while not the most common cancer in women, is still one of the most deadly malignancies. A major reason for this is the inability to catch the disease in its early, and most treatable stages. Much work is being done on early detection (a few posts on this area from this online journal are given at the end of this post for reference)
The symptoms of ovarian cancer closely mimic symptoms of gastrointestinal distress and disorders and many times these symptoms are overlooked by women as benign, temporary issues and may be mis-self diagnosed. In addition, if mistaken for common gastrointestinal discomfort or gynecologic discomfort (cramping) women may self-medicate with over the counter agents which mask the symptoms of ovarian cancer
certain lessons can be learned from the experiences in other countries regarding access to healthcare and diagnosis. For instance
Looking at the key findings of the study it becomes clear that countries have significant potential to
learn from each other:
• Women in Germany had the shortest time to diagnosis, but much less access to
specialist clinicians that are key to successful treatment.
• Women in the UK have almost universal access to specialists but the lowest
proportion of women diagnosed within a month of visiting a doctor.
• Women in Japan had one of the shortest times to diagnosis, but very little access to
genetic testing, and were least likely to get the emotional support they needed.
• Women in the USA were most likely to wait more than three months before
consulting a doctor about symptoms, but most likely to receive genetic testing.
• Women with ovarian cancer in Hungary were most aware of ovarian cancer before
their diagnosis, but were much less likely to be offered surgery to treat their disease.
In summary it appears there are three key areas needing to be addressed with regard to improving early reporting of symptoms of ovarian cancer
information and awareness of symptoms by BOTH women and their physicians
family risk assessment programs are very important to make women aware of their risks and needs for screening
access to specialist treatment is important in the early diagnosis and treatment of this disease
Historically ovarian cancer was called the “silent killer” because symptoms were not thought to develop until the chance of cure was poor. However, recent studies have shown this term is untrue and that the following symptoms are much more likely to occur in women with ovarian cancer than women in the general population. These symptoms include:
Bloating
Pelvic or abdominal pain
Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)
Women with ovarian cancer report that symptoms are persistent and represent a change from normal for their bodies. The frequency and/or number of such symptoms are key factors in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Several studies show that even early stage ovarian cancer can produce these symptoms.
Women who have these symptoms almost daily for more than a few weeks should see their doctor, preferably a gynecologist. Prompt medical evaluation may lead to detection at the earliest possible stage of the disease. Early stage diagnosis is associated with an improved prognosis.
Several other symptoms have been commonly reported by women with ovarian cancer. These symptoms include fatigue, indigestion, back pain, pain with intercourse, constipation and menstrual irregularities. However, these other symptoms are not as useful in identifying ovarian cancer because they are also found in equal frequency in women in the general population who do not have ovarian cancer.
In addition there are serum biomarker tests which have shown useful in the screening for ovarian cancer however these tests have their caveats and not generally suggested for whole population screening due to number of false postitives which may occur (these tests will be discussed in further posts)
A new study of women with ovarian cancer shows that ignorance about the condition is common among patients in all 44 countries surveyed. And that ignorance has a cost. The disease is more treatable, even potentially curable, in its early stages.
The women’s answers also suggested their doctors were ignorant. Many of them reported that diagnosis took a long time and that they weren’t referred to proper specialists.
The study was based on an online survey of 1,531 women who had been diagnosed with the cancer and was conducted by the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, a nonprofit support group between March and May of this year.
Ovarian cancer is the eighth leading cause of cancer in women, according to the World Health Organization. Nearly 300,000 women will develop it this year. The World Ovarian Cancer Coalition estimates that one in six will die within three months of diagnosis and fewer than half will be alive in five years.
Prior to their diagnosis, two-thirds of the women surveyed either had never heard of ovarian cancer or were familiar with the name but didn’t know anything about the disease.
Other articles related to Ovarian Cancer on this online Open Access Journal Include:
This post contains a curation of all Early Diagnosis posts on this site as well as a curation of the Early Detection Research Network.
Early Research Detection Network (EDRN)
Welcome to EDRN
The Early Detection Research Network (EDRN), an initiative of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), brings together dozens of institutions to help accelerate the translation of biomarker information into clinical applications and to evaluate new ways of testing cancer in its earliest stages and for cancer risk.
Getting Started…
Check out the EDRN Highlights — a listing of our accomplishments and milestones.
Since its inception in 1999 EDRN has achieved several key milestones, summarized below:
1998 through 2000: Inception and Inauguration of EDRN
2001 to 2003: Meeting the Challenges to Harness and Share Emerging Scientific Knowledge
EDRN Second Report, Translational Research to Identify Early Cancer and Cancer Risk, October 2002, http://edrn.nci.nih.gov/docs.) published.
EDRN joined the Gordon Research Conferences to co-host the New Frontiers in Cancer detection and Diagnosis in 2002.
Guidelines Set for Studies Measuring Biomarker Predictive Power Journal of National Cancer Institute (Vol. 93, No. 14, July 18, 2001).
EDRN Associate Membership Program Initiated: This novel approach to make EDRN inclusive has been extremely successful. EDRN has now more than 120 Associate Members who are significantly contributing to EDRN efforts in biomarker discovery, development and validation.
2003 to 2004: Network Surges Ahead in Real-time
Collaborative Discovery and Validation Projects: More than 100 collaborative projects spanned the various organ sites. These projects are monitored through the EDRN’s electronic System Information System (eSIS).
EDRN Virtual Specimen Bank and Validation Management System Launched: The EDRN Virtual Specimen Bank, also known as ERNE knowledge system, was deployed to 10 institutions in early 2003, allowing a common web-based query to search for available specimens across the EDRN Clinical Epidemiology and Validation Centers https://ginger.fhcrc.org/edrn/imp/GateServlet?pwd. VSIMS was created to allow multiple studies to be administered efficiently by minimizing development time with standardization of information and data management across multiple activities and research sites. This system encompasses all the security features of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-required auditing systems.
Partnership on the Plasma Proteome Project (PPP) Initiative of the Human Proteome Organization (HUPO): PPP project was initiated to evaluate multiple technology platforms, develop bioinformatic tools and standards for protein identification, and create a database of the plasma proteome. The entire study was published in the August issue of the journal Proteomics August 2005, Volume 4 (4), pp 1045-1450.
2005 to 2008: An Investment in Prevention
In late 2006, EDRN’s Program for Rapid, Independent Diagnostic Evaluation (PRIDE), was established (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-CA-07-003.html ) as an administrative means to assist extramural investigators in successfully conducting cross-laboratory validation of biomarkers. Ten applications have been reviewed and five are being supported.
EDRN underwent external reviews in 2007 and 2008.
The Canary Foundation, Palo Alto, CA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with EDRN, NCI on supporting prostate cancer surveillance network of investigators from seven institutions. The tissue and serum will be collected during a three-year period and will be made available to extramural scientists for discovery and validation research.
The Lustgarten Foundation, N.Y., funded 6 institutions to generate monoclonal antibodies and associated hybridoma cell lines for pancreatic cancer antigens (biomarkers) identified by EDRN and non-EDRN investigators. These resources will be stored at the NCI-Frederick Facility for distribution to extramural investigators.
2009 to 2011: Realizing Investment for Clinical Use
Two biomarker tests approved by FDA and two IVDs pending FDA review.
Six biomarker tests offered by CLIA labs.
One biomarker test approved for clinical use outside the USA
A Curation of Posts on Early Detection of Cancer and Other Early Detection Networks is Included Below
A new phase of the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program (BCERP), focused on prevention, is being launched at the National Institutes of Health. Grant-funded researchers will now work across scientific disciplines, involve new racially and ethnically diverse communities, and expand the study of risk factors that precede breast cancer, such as breast density.
These new directions reflect recommendations made by the Interagency Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Coordinating Committee (IBCERCC) in 2013. IBCERCC was congressionally mandated to review the state of the science around breast cancer and environmental influences by the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act. Recommendations included prioritizing prevention, involving transdisciplinary research teams, engaging public stakeholders, collaborating across federal agencies, and communicating the science to the public.
This broadened research focus will add to the growing knowledge of environmental and genetic factors that may influence breast cancer risk across the lifespan. The six new BCERP projects, plus a new coordinating center promoting cross-project collaboration, are jointly funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Cancer Institute. All projects involve strong partnerships between researchers and organizations focused on breast cancer prevention or environmental health.
The new research will be conducted at the following institutions
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston
City of Hope/Beckman Research Institute, Duarte, California
Columbia University, New York City
Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, D.C.
Michigan State University, Lansing
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
University of Wisconsin – Madison (Coordinating Center)
“The beauty of this research is that scientific discoveries and community observations inform each other, in order to dive deeper into the complex causes of breast cancer,” said Gwen Collman, Ph.D., director of NIEHS Division of Extramural Research and Training.
The focus on minority and socio-economically disadvantaged women is an important step in addressing disparities in breast cancer outcomes. Although African-American women are diagnosed with breast cancer less often than white women, more aggressive cancers and breast cancer deaths are more common among African-American women.
Another new direction for BCERP is research on the role of breast density as a possible intermediate risk factor for breast cancer. Dense breast tissue is one of the most common risk factors for breast cancer. Identifying links between environmental exposures and high breast density may provide new insights into prevention.
“These priorities reflect our continued commitment to breast cancer prevention,” noted Caroline Dilworth, Ph.D., BCERP program lead at NIEHS. “Our goal is to build on the high quality science we’ve been funding for more than a decade, while also being responsive to the expert recommendations of the IBCERCC report.”
Grant Numbers: U01ES026130, U01ES026137, U01ES026122, U01ES026132, U01ES026119, U01ES026140, U01ES026127
NIEHS supports research to understand the effects of the environment on human health and is part of NIH. For more information on environmental health topics, visit www.niehs.nih.gov. Subscribe to one or more of the NIEHS news lists to stay current on NIEHS news, press releases, grant opportunities, training, events, and publications.
The National Cancer Institute leads the National Cancer Program and the NIH’s efforts to dramatically reduce the prevalence of cancer and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families, through research into prevention and cancer biology, the development of new interventions, and the training and mentoring of new researchers. For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI website at http://www.cancer.gov or call NCI’s Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
Other posts on this site on Cancer and Early Detection include
Warning signs may lead to better early detection of ovarian cancer
Curator: Prabodh Kandala, PhD.
Article 9.5.Warning signs may lead to better early detection of ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is one of the leading gynecological malignancies. Although rare, it is deadly and affects more than 35,000 female population every year in U.S alone. It was referred to as silent killer in the past and affects one in 70 women. The most difficult part of the ovarian cancer is its detection. There are no sufficiently accurate screening tests that can diagnose this malignancy. Although several tests were proposed and tested, none of them confirmed the accurate detection. Two recent reports suggested that early detection is key in the fight against ovarian cancer.
Northwestern Memorial Hospital (2011, September 19). Early detection is key in the fight against ovarian cancer. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 23, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915163957.htm
Catching ovarian cancer early increases five-year survival odds from 30 percent to more than 90 percent. But the symptoms of ovarian cancer often mimic other less dangerous conditions making it difficult to recognize. Women should be aware of possible early warning signs which include
1. Bloating
2. pelvic of abdominal pain
3. Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
4. Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)
5. Increased abdominal size
Women who frequently (almost daily for two to three weeks) experience one or more than one symptoms listed above should see the doctor.
Doctors say it is not clear what causes ovarian cancer but there are factors that increase the odds of developing the disease including carrying a mutation of the BRCA gene, having a personal history of breast cancer or a family history of ovarian cancer, being over the age of 45 or if a woman is obese. If a woman is high-risk, doctors recommend screening begin at age 20 to 25, or five to 10 years earlier than the youngest age of diagnosis in the family. In addition, there are genetic tests available that can identify women who are at a substantially increased risk.
Studies have shown there are ways to reduce the risk of developing the disease. Women who use birth control pills for at least five years are three-times less likely to develop ovarian cancer. In addition, permanent forms of birth control such as tubal ligation have been found to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 50 percent. In cases where women have an extensive family history of breast or ovarian cancer, or who carry altered versions of the BRCA genes, may receive a recommendation to remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes which lowers the risk of ovarian cancer by more than 95 percent.
Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, getting regular exercise, maintaining a normal body weight and managing stresses are all ways women can help decrease their risk of ovarian cancer
The best scenario would be to prevent this cancer entirely but until that day comes women need to focus on good health behaviors, listen to their bodies and know their family history
Ovarian Cancer Screening: Simple Two-Minute Questionnaire That Checks for Six Warning Signs May Lead to Better Early Detection
M. Robyn Andersen, Barbara A. Goff, Kimberly A. Lowe.Development of an instrument to identify symptoms potentially indicative of ovarian cancer in a primary care clinic setting. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2012; 02 (03): 183 DOI:
Researchers at Fred-Hutchison cancer center came up with a simple three question paper and pencil survey that effectively identify those who are experiencing symptoms that may indicate ovarian cancer. This study represents the first evaluation of an ovarian cancer symptom-screening tool in a primary care setting among normal-risk women as part of their routine medical-history assessment. The survey asked about the frequency and duration of above mentioned symptoms: how many days a month and for how long?
This study also strengthens the above report from Northwestern memorial hospital.
“Symptoms such as pelvic pain and abdominal bloating may be a sign of ovarian cancer but they also can be caused by other conditions. What’s important is to determine whether they are current, of recent onset and occur frequently,” said lead author M. Robyn Andersen, Ph.D., a member of the Hutchinson Center’s Public Health Sciences Division. Previous research by Andersen and colleagues has found that about 60 percent of women with early-stage ovarian cancer and 80 percent of women with advanced disease report symptoms that follow this distinctive pattern at the time of diagnosis.
“Women with symptoms that are frequent, continual and new to them in the past year should talk to their doctor, as they may be candidates for further evaluation with ultrasound and blood tests that measure markers of ovarian cancer such as CA-125,” she said. “Recent research indicates that approximately one in 140 women with symptoms may have ovarian cancer. Aggressive follow-up of these symptoms can lead to diagnosis when ovarian cancer can be caught earlier and more effectively treated.”
The study involved 1,200 women, age 40 to 87, who were seen in a Seattle women’s health clinic. More than half of the study participants reported being postmenopausal and approximately 90 percent were white. About half of the clinic visits were for a current health concern or for follow-up of a health problem reported at an earlier visit. The other half were for routine appointments such as mammography screening.
Of those surveyed, 5 percent had a positive symptom score that indicated the need for further testing. Of this group of about 60 women, one was diagnosed with ovarian cancer shortly thereafter. Of the 95 percent of women who tested negative on the symptom survey, none developed ovarian cancer during a 12-month follow-up period, which attests to the accuracy of the screening tool.
Those who reported current symptoms on the questionnaire or reported other medical concerns scored higher than those who did not. Non-white women were also about twice as likely to receive a positive symptom score as compared to white women.
“If ovarian cancer screening using symptoms is widely adopted, maximizing the specificity of screening programs will be important,” the authors wrote. “Until better biomarkers are identified and tested, collecting information about symptoms appears to have promise.” The bottom line, Andersen said, is that the screening tool can be used easily in a primary-care setting, is acceptable to patients and providers, and identifies women with symptoms that are worthy of concern with minimal false-positive results.
The study questionnaire that was tested in the clinic was based on a symptom-screening index developed in 2006 by Andersen and co-author Barbara Goff, M.D., professor and director of Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
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