Blood test gives early warning of melanoma relapse

By Stephen Feller 

Testing for circulating tumor DNA in the blood could help doctors detect mutations in a 

tumor, indicating resistance to drugs or an impending relapse Of melanoma. Photo by 

Photographee.eu/Shutterstock 

LONDON, March 7 (UPI) A blood test can detect changes in tumor DNA, potentially 

helping doctors detect melanoma relapse far earlier, according to a study in England. 

Scientists at Cancer Research UK found the blood test detects mutations in circulating 

tumor DNA indicating potential drug resistance or relapse, which would allow treatment 

to start earlier and increase the chance for a patient's survival. 

Although the study was small, and scientists say the test's accuracy needs to be tested in 

a much larger trial before it is used in clinics, any possibility of improving how cancer is 

tracked will improve treatment. 

"One of the sinister things about melanoma is that it can lay dormant for years and then 

suddenly re-emerge, probably as it escapes from the control Of the body's immune 

system," Dr. Peter Johnson12 chief clinician at Cancer Research UK, said in a press 

131. "Being able to track cancers in real time as they evolve following treatment has 

release 

huge potential for the way we monitor cancers and intervene to stop them growing back. 

For the study, published in the journal Cancer Discovery141 the scientists analyzed 364 

samples from 214 patients using whole exome sequencing and targeted sequencing of 

circulating tumor DNA. 

The scientists were able to use the test to observe treatment responses, as well as 

identify where tumors may be resisting the therapy. Within circulating tumor DNA, the 

researchers found mutations to genes such as NRA and P13K, which the scientists said 

can allow tumors to resist treatments. 

"Being able to spot the first signs of relapse, so we can rapidly decide the best treatment 

strategy, is an important area for research, " Dr. Richard Marais, a professor at the 

University of Manchester, said. "Our work has identified a way for us to do this but we 

still need to test the approach in further clinical trials before it reaches patients in the clinic." 

Citation: Feller, Stephen. "Blood Test Gives Early Warning of Melanoma Relapse."UPI. United Press International, Inc., 7 Mar. 2016. Web. 7 Mar. 2016. <http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2016/03/07/Blood-test-gives-early-warning-of-melanoma-relapse/4121457355254/>.

Response: This article explains the new developments in the health field where they have found
a test that can pretty much predict cancer relapses before they happen. This
would be a huge development for health care all over the world if it really
works. Cancer has become such a big issue all over the world and every little
development to fight the battle against cancer helps. This article did not seem
to have a very strong bias although it did sound very hopeful about the fact
that this test will probably work. Though this article was short, I think that
is gave the main facts about what this new test could mean for our world today
and how it could change the battle against cancer. To me, this article sounded
hopeful but may have been the author speaking more than the test itself.