Cancer survivors whose disease has gone into remission have so much to celebrate and be thankful for, and many are celebrating this October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But there may always remain a concern in the back of their minds: could the cancer return? Most incidents of breast cancer recurrence occur in the first five years of treatment. However, for women who have survived breast cancer, there may at last be a way to put this fear to rest once and for all.
A simple blood test is showing great promise in predicting a relapse of breast cancer – as much as eight months in advance of it being detected by current imaging methods. And although the initial testing group was small, the prediction was accurate in an astounding 12 out of 15 women.
According to Dr. Nicholas Turner of the Institute of Cancer Research, lead author of the study, “We have shown how a simple blood test has the potential to accurately predict which patients will relapse from breast cancer, much earlier than we can currently.”
Although the test is not yet available to those outside of the study, the goal is to one day utilize this method to be able to individually tailor treatments, and hopefully bring us one step closer to eliminating breast cancer altogether.
At Heaven at Home Senior Care, we know how challenging cancer treatments can be on both patients and their families. Our dedicated care team can aid your loved one during chemotherapy treatments with our dedicated in-home care services that allow him or her to rest and recover while maintaining a healthy diet. To learn more about our in-home care services, call us at 866-381-0500.