Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide. It has surpassed lung cancer as the most commonly diagnosed cancer, with an estimated 2.3 million new cases annually (11.7%), followed by lung (11.4%), colorectal (10.0 %), prostate (7.3%), and stomach (5.6%) cancers.
Breast cancer starts when cells in the breast begin to grow out of control. These cells usually form a tumor that can often be seen on mammograms or felt as a lump. Malignant tumors are cancerous and can spread (metastasize) cancer cells to surrounding tissues and to distant organs through blood or lymphatic system.
Metastasis is the situation where cancer cells spread to a different body part from where they originated. Cancer cells get separated from the primary tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Traveling cancer cells can find a new organ to spread. Breast cancer is one of the most dangerous types since it can spread to 8 different organs. It most often spreads to the bones, liver, lungs, and brain.
At Genz, Breast Cancer is one of our main focus areas, that’s why we developed GNZ-BRC Test 2 years ago. Since then we participated in a study with scientists from Harvard University, and Brown University from 2018 to 2021, and around 400 patient data was included.
The study aims to understand the reason for metastasis for estrogen-positive breast cancer, which is 70% of all breast cancers. Metastasis is the primary reason for deaths in breast cancer, and the mortality rate reaches 94% after metastasis. The researchers suggest a decision algorithm for the early diagnosis of metastasis for breast cancer patients. That means that the discovery can be a base for a blood test kit to be used in breast cancer metastasis diagnostics in an early stage. That also will help to increase the survival of breast cancer patients.
For more on Genz Biotechnology’s products and technologies: Request A Demo
References:
- Agraz, M., Agyuz, U., Welch, E. C., Yasin, K., & Birol, K. (2021). Gene Expression Assay: A New Panel for Early Metastatic Risk Estimation for Breast Cancer. DOI:10.21203/rs.3.rs-279461/v1
- University of Connecticut — Health Department. (2021). Benign & Malignant Tumors. https://health.uconn.edu/orthopedics-sports-medicine/conditions-and-treatments/a-z-index/benign-malignant-tumors/