A Spanish study shows breast milk could potentially improve breast cancer identification in new and soon-to-be mothers, allowing for early detection and timely treatment.
According to a study by the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, Spain, researchers established a discovery that could change the detection process of breast cancer in pregnant women and in women who have recently given birth.
The new method, published by the American Association for Cancer on September 14, involves breast milk.
It turns out that cancer can be detected in breast milk. Cell-free tumor DNA (ctDNA) — DNA of cancer cells outside of cells that can be detected in bodily fluids — was present in 13 breast milk samples collected from 15 women with breast cancer. This ctDNA method can be 79% more effective in detecting cancer than traditional blood tests, and accurately identifies cancer 71.4% of the time, according to the results.
Breast milk as a non-invasive breast cancer screening
Breast milk as a method of screening and a diagnostic tool can be used at the time of lactation, which usually lasts from pregnancy to around two years post-delivery.
The older population of women use mammography, and non-lactating women use blood-based biopsy, nipple aspirate fluid, or ductal lavage. The traditional methods of breast cancer screenings remain invasive and uncomfortable. Using breast milk could be an innovative, non-invasive and painless procedure.
According to the World Health Organization, there are more than 2.3 million cases of breast cancer each year globally and it is the leading cause of female cancer deaths in 95% of countries worldwide. The study indicates breast cancer is the most common cancer in pregnant and breastfeeding women, with 55% of breast cancer cases in women under the age of 45.
If detected early, five-year breast cancer survival rate is 99%
One critical factor with any form of cancer is the timing of its detection. In the case of breast cancer occurring during pregnancy and postpartum, it is usually diagnosed at advanced stages compared with other breast cancers.
One of the leading researchers in the study, Dr. Saura explains that “the physiological changes that occur in the breast during pregnancy and postpartum make tumors more difficult to detect […] and women become pregnant at ages when population screening with mammography is not yet carried out.” This leads to rapid advancement, aggressive progression, higher risk of metastases and fatal outcomes.
Early detection would, in the localized stage, ensure a survival rate of 99% in the next five years, according to the American Cancer Society. That being said, the most remarkable discovery with ctDNA is that it could serve as an early warning system. It could predict cancer presence up to 18 months earlier than regular scans and thus ensure effective treatment.
Although further research and clinical trials are needed, this study offers hope for breast cancer being detected earlier, treated more effectively, and therefore saving countless lives.
Researchers are already continuing with a new investigation of breast milk samples from 5,000 healthy women over the age of 40 worldwide and of those of any age who have a predisposition for breast cancer in hopes of enhancing the comprehension of breast milk as a potential diagnostic tool.
