An investigation led by the Oncology Institute of the Vall d’Hebron Hospital in Barcelona confirmed the presence of the fragments Breast cancer tumor DNA in breast milk. Discovery published in journal The discovery of canceropens a new and promising way for early detection of this type of cancer.

Today, breast cancer is not synonymous with death. Survival has improved dramatically over the last two decades, and the chances of a cure have risen to close to 90% if the diagnosis is early enough on a scale that oncologists classify as stage 1 or 2. Going down to stage 4 means a much more dangerous prognosis for patients and the potential presence of terrible metastases.

Despite undoubted progress, and like other types of cancer, breast cancer continues to be a major public health problem. Thousands of women die from this type of tumor every year in Spain and it is estimated that one in eight women You will end up suffering from it for the rest of your life. And it is a great affliction because, in addition to those associated with cancer diagnoses (20 to 60% suffer from depression), it affects personal and couple relationships due to the importance of the breast as a woman’s identity. Early diagnosis is vital.

Breast milk, another way to fight breast cancer

In recent years, liquid biopsy techniques, i.e. the study of the fluids of the human body in search of traces of tumors, have become widespread. Blood was the main medium of the study to detect almost all types of cancer, but also others, such as cerebrospinal fluid for brain tumors or saliva for neck tumors.

Vall d’Hebron’s research on fifteen women adds another liquid against breast cancer: breast milk. «In women who have breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy or breastfeeding, we find circulating tumor DNA in breast milk», they explain. And since then not in a few breast milk samples from 13 of 15 patients were positive. And the other two are also believed to have been there, simply the samples taken were colostrum before the tumor DNA came into contact with the fluid.

There is still research ahead, but it was the first time that around the world, the breast milk of breast cancer patients is showing enough tumor DNA to be detectable by liquid biopsy. It should be remembered that these types of techniques, in addition to being effective, are cheaper and much less invasive than tissue biopsies.

The researchers believe that these results will open the door to the development of early tests in the postpartum period itself. The key to diagnosis and ultimately to improved diagnostics against the disease of our time. Since all help is small, we leave you a link to the Spanish Cancer Association –AECC– in case you want to cooperate.