Blood test that can detect ovarian cancer 'may save lives and stop women having unnecessary surgery' to spot the killer disease

A blood test that can detect ovarian cancer could spare thousands of women from unnecessary surgery, researchers hope.

• Women with ovarian cysts endure surgery to help doctors spot any tumours 
• For every one cancer that is detected, five women are operated on
• Blood test identifies 11 proteins that are higher in women with ovarian cancer 

By ALEXANDRA THOMPSON SENIOR HEALTH REPORTER FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 16:16 BST, 20 June 2019 | UPDATED: 19:50 BST, 20 June 2019

Women with ovarian cysts or cancer symptoms, such as bloating, are often forced to go under the knife to help doctors spot any tumours.

Researchers claim that for every one cancer case that is detected, five women are operated on, putting them at risk of pain, infection and blood loss. 

The new test, developed by scientists in Sweden, searches the blood for 11 proteins that are higher in women with malignant ovarian masses.

Charities say further trials are needed to confirm the test is accurate, saying it would represent 'a major breakthrough' if it is.

Researchers at Uppsala University, behind the test, hope it could one day be used as part of a routine ovarian cancer screening programme. 

Early detection of ovarian cancer is considered to be the 'holy grail', and scientists around the world are trying to find an effective method.

+1

A blood test that detects ovarian cancer could save women from unnecessary surgery (stock)

'Our results are promising enough to consider screening for early discovery of ovarian cancer,' lead author Professor Ulf Gyllensten said.

'In Sweden, we have long experience of screening for cervical cancer. I see great prospects of developing a strategy for screening for ovarian cancer as well.'

He said such a programme could 'save lives and minimise the need for surgery to rule out cancer'.

The blood test was tried on plasma samples taken from 90 women with the disease and 79 without. It was then repeated three times.

It compared circulating levels of 593 proteins between women with ovarian cancer, benign tumours or no sign of the disease. 

Results found the test distinguished between women with the disease and those without up to 93 per cent of the time.

The researchers, writing in the journal Communications Biology, found quantities of 11 proteins were higher in patients with cancer. 

Results revealed it had a sensitivity of 85 per cent, which measures the probability of a test identifying cases.

It also had a specificity, which describes a test's ability to pick up non-cases, of 93 per cent.   

Ovarian cancer affects 7,300 new women every year in the UK, Target Ovarian Cancer statistics show.

And in the US, around 22,530 women are expected to be diagnosed in 2019, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). 

Ovarian cancer's vague symptoms, such as feeling full quickly, are difficult to diagnose and mean the disease is often only spotted once it is advanced.

WHY OVARIAN CANCER IS CALLED A 'SILENT KILLER' 

About 80 percent of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed in the advanced stages of the disease.

At the time of diagnosis, 60 percent of ovarian cancers will have already spread to other parts of the body, bringing the five-year survival rate down to 30 percent from 90 percent in the earliest stage.  

It's diagnosed so late because its location in the pelvis, according to Dr Ronny Drapkin, an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania, who's been studying the disease for more than two decades.

'The pelvis is like a bowl, so a tumor there can grow quite large before it actually becomes noticeable,' Dr Drapkin told Daily Mail Online.

The first symptoms to arise with ovarian cancer are gastrointestinal because tumors can start to press upward.

When a patient complains of gastrointestinal discomfort, doctors are more likely to focus on diet change and other causes than suggest an ovarian cancer screening.

Dr Drapkin said it's usually not until after a patient endures persistent gastrointestinal symptoms that they will receive a screening that reveals the cancer.

'Ovarian cancer is often said to be a silent killer because it doesn't have early symptoms, when in fact it does have symptoms, they're just very general and could be caused by other things,' he said.

'One of the things I tell women is that nobody knows your body as well as you do. If you feel something isn't right, something's probably not right.'

Only 30 to 40 per cent of patients survive five years after treatment, according to statistics.

Unlike breast and cervical, ovarian cancer is not screened for in the UK because there isn't a test that reliably spots them at an early stage.

Women who are suspected to have the disease are therefore forced to undergo an ultrasound scan to check for any abnormalities. 

They may then be sent for 'surgical sampling'. As well as this procedure being invasive, over-diagnosis is high. 

One study found out a group of women diagnosed via surgery, just 21-to-30 per cent had ovarian cancer. The rest had benign tumours or borderline masses.  

Study author Professor Karin Sundfeldt said: 'We need to develop more accurate pre-surgery diagnostics. 

'To detect one cancer, we operate on up to five women - yet this is currently the best option when abnormalities are detected by ultrasound and cancer is suspected.

'There is a great need for a simple blood test that could identify women who do not need surgery.' 

Alexandra Holden, director of communications at Target Ovarian Cancer, added: 'Early detection of ovarian cancer is the holy grail.

'Research into new biomarkers shows great promise and we look forward to a future where more women are diagnosed at the earliest possible stage.

'If borne out by future research, this would represent a major breakthrough.' The researchers admitted further trials are needed.

It is not the only blood test that is being trialled for spotting ovarian cancer early.  

One already being used with looks for the chemical CA125, which is given off by cancer cells that circulate in the bloodstream. 

However, not everyone with ovarian cancer has elevated CA125, meaning it is not a reliable candidate for a screening programme. 

Another approach involves putting an ultrasound probe into the vagina to give medics a better picture of the ovaries. 

But it can be difficult to tell whether an ovary has a tumour or just a harmless cyst using this method.

For both screening methods, there is 'no clear evidence these pick up cancers early and save lives', according to Cancer Research UK. 

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF OVARIAN CANCER?

The symptoms of ovarian cancer can be difficult to recognise, particularly early on.

They're often the same as symptoms of less serious conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS). 

The most common symptoms of ovarian cancer are:

• Feeling constantly bloated
• A swollen tummy
• Discomfort in your tummy or pelvic area
• Feeling full quickly when eating, or loss of appetite
• Needing to pee more often or more urgently than normal

Other symptoms can include:

• Persistent indigestion or nausea
• Pain during sex
• A change in your bowel habits
• Back pain
• Vaginal bleeding – particularly bleeding after the menopause
• Feeling tired all the time
• Unintentional weight loss

When to see your GP

See your GP if:

• You've been feeling bloated most days for the last three weeks
• You have other symptoms of ovarian cancer that won't go away – especially if you're over 50 or have a family history of ovarian or breast cancer, as you may be at a higher risk

It's unlikely you have cancer, but it's best to check. Your GP can do some simple tests. 

Source: NHS Choices 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7162199/Blood-test-detects-ovarian-cancer-save-thousands-women-unnecessary-surgery.html

Lung cancer could be detected with a BLOOD TEST raising hopes of diagnosing the deadly disease early

• Lung cancer is officially the world's leading cause of cancer-related deaths 
• There are 46,400 cases of lung cancer in Britain each year and 35,500 deaths 
• Only one in 10 patients is still alive five years after diagnosis
• New test can identify cancer cells by the DNA which they shed as they grow 

By PETER LLOYD FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 14:00 GMT, 12 February 2019 | UPDATED: 14:16 GMT, 12 February 2019

Early signs of lung cancer could soon be detected by a simple blood test. 

British researchers have created a new type of screening which can identify early stages of the disease – and even predict where pre-cancerous tumours may develop.

The 'promising' and 'exciting' findings – published in the journal Disease Models and Mechanisms – could be crucial in beating the disease, the experts claim.

Lung cancer is the world's leading cause of cancer-related deaths because it is notoriously difficult to diagnose and often appears later when it's harder to treat. 

+2

Discovery: New test has the power to measure the circulating levels of DNA in the blood, which cancer cells shed as they grow and multiply (stock)

If a lung tumour is detected early, it may be easily removed in surgery to prevent it spreading to other parts of the body and becoming more difficult to stop.

Dr Mariana Delfino-Machin, programme manager for cancer at the Medical Research Council (MRC), which funded the study, said: 'This is a really promising piece of early-stage research.

'Lung cancer is incredibly difficult to diagnose at the stage where it can be successfully treated, leading to a poor rate of survival.

'Developing early detection strategies to improve survival rates is key, and if this can be achieved using only a blood sample it would greatly benefit patients and the NHS.

'We look forward to the results of the next stages of this research.'

Scientists at the MRC's Toxicology Unit at the University of Cambridge analysed the blood tests of mice with a genetic mutation known as KRAS, which replicates the early signs of lung cancer.

+2

Lung cancer is officially the world's leading cause of tumour-related deaths, with 46,400 cases diagnosed in Britain each year - resulting in 35,500 deaths (stock)

With the help of scientists from the University of Leicester, the researchers discovered the new blood test has the power to measure circulating levels of DNA in the blood, which cancer cells shed as they grow and multiply.

The mice were closely monitored with regular computed tomography (CT) scans and blood tests.

CHEMO MAY CAUSE BREAST CANCER TO SPREAD TO THE LUNGS 

Chemotherapy may cause breast cancer to spread, alarming research suggests.

The commonly prescribed chemo drugs paclitaxel and doxorubicin cause breast tumours to release proteins that then circulate in the blood until they reach the lungs, triggering the disease's onset in a new part of the body.

When scientists - from the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research - blocked this protein in a lab model, the cancer did not spread. 

They hope their findings - released last December - will help make chemotherapy more effective

It was soon discovered the mice with higher levels of DNA shed from cancer cells in their blood reflected the growth of the tumours seen on the scans.

After the DNA was analysed, it was revealed the KRAS mutation – which causes tumours to develop – was still being detected in the later stages of tumour development.

Study lead author Dr Miguel Martins said: 'This observation is exciting because it suggests that tumour-causing mutations may be detectable in circulating DNA from patients with early-stage cancers or with pre-cancerous tumours.'

But he added more research is needed to examine mice with pre-cancerous tumours in other parts of the body before the test can accurately be applied to humans.

British Lung Foundation's medical director, Nick Hopkinson, said: 'This is an early study in mice, but it is a very interesting area of research. 

'A blood test for lung cancer would be a big step forward as long as it is sensitive and specific so that there are not a lot of false positive or false negative results.

'In the meantime the most important message is, if you’re a smoker, the best thing you can do to lower your cancer risk is to quit smoking. 

'It’s also important not to ignore symptoms like getting out of breath doing things you used to be able to do, or a cough lasting more than few weeks.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6695307/Early-stages-lung-cancer-detected-simple-blood-test.html

Poppy Seeds Can Make you Fail Your Blood Test

Do not eat a poppy seed bagel if you are going to take a blood test. You might be tested positive for opiates and charged for substance abuse. Here's why:

Why do poppy seeds make people fail drug tests?

Opium, heroin, codeine and morphine all come from opium poppies. While poppy seeds do not actually contain any of these substances, they can become tainted with morphine during the harvesting process, according to Brittanica. In some cases, the morphine residue on the seeds, while not enough to create a high, is enough to throw off the results of a drug test, research shows.

How many poppy seeds affect a drug test?

The amount of morphine residue on poppy seeds varies depending on the country in which they were grown, the harvesting and cleaning process and other factors, making it difficult to predict exactly how many will result in a false positive. But plenty of people have seen surprising results after eating a single poppy seed bagel, muffin or other pastry, and research has shown that urine levels may remain elevated for up to two days after consumption.

For years, a morphine test was considered positive if it showed levels above 300 nanograms per millimeter. But, in part due to the number of people receiving false positives after eating poppy seeds, today most organizations look for levels of 2,000 or above, as recommended by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 

The excerpt above is taken from the following article:

A New Mother Failed a Drug Test After Eating a Poppy Seed Bagel. Here's How That Happens

Theranos: Scandal hit blood-testing firm to shut

Scandal-hit US blood-testing start-up Theranos is to formally dissolve, the firm's chief executive David Taylor has told shareholders in an email.

BBC NEWS   5 September 2018

Mr Taylor said Theranos had run "out of time" to secure further investment or secure a buyer for its assets.

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes and former president Ramesh Balwani are facing criminal charges of wire fraud.

Prosecutors say they engaged in a multi-million dollar scheme to defraud investors, doctors and patients.

Mr Taylor, who also serves as general counsel to the firm, said that Theranos had engaged the services of investment bank Jeffries to try to "maximise the value of the company" for shareholders.

• Theranos founder hit with criminal charges
• Bad blood: The rise and fall of Theranos

In the email obtained by the Wall Street Journal, he said the investment bank had "reached out" to over 80 potential buyers, but to no avail.

"Unfortunately, none of those leads has materialized into a transaction. We are now out of time," he wrote.

Mr Taylor said the firm had breached the terms of its loan agreement with investor Fortress Investment Group, meaning the firm was now entitled to sell or take ownership of Theranos' intellectual property and assets.

Shareholders are expected to receive nothing after the firm's collapse.

Criminal charges

Theranos, founded in 2003 when Ms Holmes was 19, had claimed its Edison devices could test for conditions such as cancer and cholesterol with only a few drops of blood from a finger-prick, rather than taking full blood samples by needle from a vein.

Ms Holmes raised over $700m in funding for Theranos, but when she tried to pitch the technology to the US Department of Defense in 2012, her pitch was rejected due to the devices' unpredictable results.

The Wall Street Journal began investigating and published a series of exposes starting from October 2015.

Theranos denounced these articles, but by June 2016 it was facing legal challenges from investors, medical authorities and five federal agencies.

In April 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) sanctioned Theranos and revoked its clinical laboratory testing certificate, which caused the pharmacy chain Walgreens to terminate its partnership with the start-up and sue Theranos for $140m.

In March, Ms Holmes settled charges with the Securities and Exchange Commission, a top US financial regulator.

The regulator alleged that Theranos, Ms Holmes and Mr Balwani made a series of false and misleading statements in investor presentations, product demonstrations and interviews.

As part of the settlement, Ms Holmes had to return millions of shares to the privately held company and pay a $500,000 fine. She was also banned from serving as an officer or director of a public company for 10 years.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45418615

List of Theranos postings on this blog :

1. Theranos: Scandal hit blood-testing firm to shut
2. Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes indicted for alleged fraud, out as CEO
3. The rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes ...
4. Lesson of Theranos: Fact-Checking Alone Isn't Enough
5. A 31-year-old's fight to disrupt a $75 billion industry
6. TEDMED: Elizabeth Holmes Lab testing reinvented
7. Blood, Simpler: One Woman's Drive to Revolutionize Medical Testing

This post is on Healthwise