A new study has demonstrated that a multi-protein biomarker blood test to identify breast cancer can potentially reduce use of biopsy by up to 67% in women under the age of 50.
The study of Provista Diagnostics' Videssa Breast shows that liquid biopsy following abnormal mammogram and other imaging can help rule out breast cancer.
The company had recruited 545 women aged between 25 and 50 in two prospective trials, with abnormal or difficult-to-interpret imaging.
According to the firm, the overall performance of Videssa Breast in women with a breast cancer prevalence of 5.87%, resulted in a sensitivity of 87.5%, specificity of 83.8% and positive predictive value (PPV) of 25.2% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 99.1%.
With a simple blood draw, Videssa Breast will help in advancing to further diagnostic procedures, helping to rapidly confirm whether the patient is having breast cancer or not.
The new multi-protein biomarker blood test is said to improve diagnostic accuracy, when used in combination with imaging.
Provista Diagnostics chief medical officer Judith Wolf said: “With about 1.6 million breast biopsies performed each year,1 the implications of a blood test that can help clinicians confidently rule out breast cancer and avoid a potentially unnecessary biopsy are tremendous.
“We know imaging has limitations, especially among women under age 50 who, because of confounding factors, are more difficult to image. This research shows that Videssa Breast can be a powerful new tool in the diagnostic toolbox for clinicians.”
Provista is engaged in the development and commercialization of blood-based proteomic diagnostic, prognostic and monitoring tests, helping to detect women cancer.
Image: Provista’s new multi-protein biomarker blood test can effectively detect breast cancer. Photo: courtesy of watiporn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net.