In a small study, researchers have identified protein biomarkers for breast cancer using breast milk, a discovery that they believe is the first step towards developing a simple blood test to screen patients faster and more easily.
The research, which is being presented at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual meeting during the Experimental Biology 2022 conference this week, compared the breast milk of three women with breast cancer to milk from three who did not have any breast cancer.
They found that between the two sets of samples, there were 23 proteins that differed and all of them were proteins that had been previously linked to cancer or tumour development.
Isolating biomarkers to look for puts them closer to developing a blood test that could be taken easily to screen for breast cancer, the researchers note.
“Although mammograms are a useful tool for catching breast cancer early, they aren’t typically recommended for low-risk women under 40,” Danielle Whitham, a doctoral candidate at Clarkson University in New York, and lead author of the research, said in a press release. “Because the biomarkers we found in breast milk are also detectable in blood serum, screening could potentially be done in women of any age using blood or breast milk.”
It’s well known that when it comes to battling cancer, early identification is key to a higher chance of beating the disease.
“If our future studies are successful, it could change how women are monitored for breast cancer and aid in earlier diagnosis,” Whitham said. “This could even lead to a higher survival rate in women.”
In order to isolate the proteins, researchers broke the ions in the breast milk down to fragments, using a process called tandem mass spectrometry, which allows scientists to see the chemical structures that make up the substance.
In the women with breast cancer, there were 23 proteins that were dysregulated, meaning that there were unexpected changes in how those proteins were being synthesized, leading to changes in cellular structure. Previous research has found that dysregulated proteins is a sign of various conditions, including cancer.
“We used breast milk because it contains proteins, epithelial cells and immune cells, all of which provide a great deal of information about what is happening in a woman’s body during a crucial time in breast development,” Whitham said.
The set of biomarkers that researchers identified only apply to one type of breast cancer: invasive duct carcinoma (IDC), which is one of the most common types.
But researchers believe that as they research further, they could uncover more biomarkers for other types of breast cancer.
The next step is to replicate their results with a larger group of participants, in order to confirm the biomarkers. Any women producing breast milk who are interested in helping out with future studies are encouraged to reach out to donate samples.
If the protein biomarkers are confirmed in a larger study, researchers will test for these biomarkers in blood serum in order to start the journey towards a blood test that could change the breast cancer screening process.
The stunning leak of a U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion to strike down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision on abortion rights seized political attention in Ottawa on Tuesday. In the House of Commons, MPs' persisting differing views were on display after a symbolic push to affirm abortion rights failed, and the Conservative caucus were told not to comment on the leak.
Six candidates are officially on the ballot to become the Conservative Party's next leader. In holding rallies, appearing in media interviews, and preparing for the soon-approaching party debates, each contender has started to trickle out details of their platforms. Here's a snapshot of where the candidates stand on the economy, housing, climate, defence and social issues.
The federal Liberals and New Democrats have finalized an agreement that, if maintained, would keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government in power until June 2025, in exchange for progress on longstanding NDP priorities. Trudeau announced Tuesday morning that the confidence-and-supply agreement has been brokered, and is effective immediately.
Conservative Party members will be electing their new leader in September. Six candidates have secured their place on the ballot, after meeting all of the party's eligibility requirements. Here's a snapshot of who each candidate is, their political histories, and what kind of campaign they're running.
From top politicians to influential oligarchs and media figures, Canada has slapped sanctions on numerous high-profile Russians, including President Vladimir Putin, as he continues his unjustified and deadly attack on Ukraine. CTVNews.ca has dug through the names to figure out who is who on Canada's growing sanctions list.
In an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca, Don Martin weighs in on the Conservative leadership debate highlights and fumbles in Edmonton on Wednesday night.
As was the case with the Freedom Convoy, it’s the organizers of Rolling Thunder who are giving the event's modest purpose some ominous overtones, writes Don Martin in an exclusive opinion piece for CTVNews.ca.
Conservative leadership frontrunner Pierre Poilievre is attracting big crowds to large halls in unlikely locations. And if his early romp lasts, he'll be impossible to beat, writes Don Martin in an exclusive opinion column for CTVNews.ca.
The sorry state of the race to become Canada’s Official Opposition Leader, traditionally a launch pad to the prime minister’s title, is antagonistically personal to a level I’ve never seen before, writes Don Martin in an exclusive opinion column for CTVNews.ca.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau runs a government that excels at being predictably inconsistent, transparently delusional, occasionally devious and excessively obsessed with the latest shiny object, Don Martin writes in an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca.
Evan Solomon talks to people and players who dominate the political scene
CTVNews.ca's Michael Stittle and Nanos Research's Nik Nanos delve into the opinions of Canadians
Evan Solomon hosts Canada's top weekly Sunday morning political program
At least 10 people were killed Saturday afternoon in a shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, law enforcement officials said on Saturday.
Abortion rights supporters demonstrating at hundreds of marches and rallies Saturday expressed their outrage that the U.S. Supreme Court will soon scrap the constitutional right to abortion that has endured for nearly a half-century and their fear about what that could mean for women's reproductive choices.
The Group of Seven leading economies warned Saturday that the war in Ukraine is stoking a global food and energy crisis which threatens poor countries, and urgent measures are needed to unblock stores of grain that Russia is preventing from leaving Ukraine.
Ottawa's French Catholic school board says the way a local high school’s dress code was enforced this week was unacceptable.
Russian troops are withdrawing from around Ukraine's second-largest city after bombarding it for weeks, the Ukrainian military said Saturday, as Kyiv and Moscow's forces engaged in a grinding battle for the country's eastern industrial heartland.
Nigerian authorities ordered a curfew in a northwestern state where hundreds protested Saturday to demand the release of suspects in the brutal killing of a Christian student accused of blasphemy against Islam.
Israeli police decided on Saturday to investigate the conduct of their officers who attacked the funeral of a slain Al Jazeera journalist, causing mourners to briefly drop the casket during the ceremony in Jerusalem.
India has banned exports of wheat effective immediately, citing a risk to its food security, partly due to the war in Ukraine.
Milwaukee officials on Saturday enacted a curfew for young people and added extra patrols after 21 people were injured in three separate downtown shootings near an entertainment district where thousands gathered for an NBA playoff game.
National gas prices are continuing their rise to staggering highs this weekend, with drivers in Vancouver told to brace for as much as $2.34 per litre at the pumps.
As predicted, B.C. gas prices set another all-time record on Saturday, with some stations in Metro Vancouver advertising gas for 227.9 cents per litre.
A city in northwestern Ontario has issued an evacuation order in response to a flood risk that's expected to grow in the coming days.
British Columbia's public safety minister says an automated alert system will be in place in June to notify residents of dangerously high temperatures like last year's fatal heat dome.
Ottawa's French Catholic school board says the way a local high school’s dress code was enforced this week was unacceptable.
Friday the 13th was a weird weather day for Canada, with provinces experiencing everything from a record-breaking heatwave to spring snow, flooding and wildfires.
At least 10 people were killed Saturday afternoon in a shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, law enforcement officials said on Saturday.
Russian troops are withdrawing from around Ukraine's second-largest city after bombarding it for weeks, the Ukrainian military said Saturday, as Kyiv and Moscow's forces engaged in a grinding battle for the country's eastern industrial heartland.
U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and a delegation of GOP senators met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv during an unannounced visit Saturday, delivering the latest show of American solidarity with the country at war with Russia.
Nigerian authorities ordered a curfew in a northwestern state where hundreds protested Saturday to demand the release of suspects in the brutal killing of a Christian student accused of blasphemy against Islam.
Rulers in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday unanimously appointed Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the autocratic nation's president, signalling both unity and stability in this key energy-rich country that hosts Western militaries.
The UN Security Council on Friday night strongly condemned the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and called for 'an immediate, thorough, transparent, and fair and impartial investigation.'
Amid discussions about the battle for the soul of the Conservative Party, former Prime Minister Kim Campbell says without leadership on policies such as climate change, the party's identity will remain in question.
Canada's highest court has ruled that the law barring the use of automatism, or a state of extreme intoxication, as a defence for some crimes is unconstitutional and called on Parliament to consider new legislation.
Google is warning that the federal government's online news bill could force it to subsidize non-authoritative or biased news sources, such as the Russian state-sponsored news agency Sputnik.
The U.S. baby formula shortage has sparked a surge of interest at milk banks around the U.S. with some mothers offering to donate breast milk and desperate parents calling to see if it's a solution to keep their babies fed.
A major infant formula recall by the U.S. manufacturer of Similac has exacerbated ongoing pandemic-related supply issues for some Canadian retailers, according to the Retail Council of Canada, while other stores have generally been able to keep shelves stocked, with any shortages mostly temporary.
A serious infant formula shortage in the United States caused by a major recall has left American parents going to great lengths to ensure they have enough supply for their babies, leaving some wondering if the same could happen in Canada.
His name is Hector, he's over 100 million years old, and his fossils sold for more than US$12 million in auction at Christie's. Hector is the most complete skeleton of Deinonychus antirrhopus ever found, according to Christie's.
A toxic cesspool. A lifeline. A finger on the world's pulse. Twitter is all these things and more to its over 217 million users around the world -- politicians, journalists, activists, celebrities, weirdos and normies, cat and dog lovers and just about anyone else with an internet connection.
A SpaceX rocket carried 53 satellites for the Starlink internet constellation into orbit Friday after blasting off from California.
Fred Ward, a veteran character actor in film and television, has died, according to his publicist Ron Hofmann.
In the song 'Auntie Diaries,' off Kendrick Lamar's new record 'Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers,' Lamar raps about his uncle and cousin -- depicted as two important, beloved figures in his life -- who are both trans.
Reality TV star Kelly Osbourne has announced that she is pregnant with her first child.
National gas prices are continuing their rise to staggering highs this weekend, with drivers in Vancouver told to brace for as much as $2.34 per litre at the pumps.
A toxic cesspool. A lifeline. A finger on the world's pulse. Twitter is all these things and more to its over 217 million users around the world -- politicians, journalists, activists, celebrities, weirdos and normies, cat and dog lovers and just about anyone else with an internet connection.
India has banned exports of wheat effective immediately, citing a risk to its food security, partly due to the war in Ukraine.
Rollins College valedictorian Elizabeth Bonker, who is nonspeaking and has autism, gave a remarkable address during her school's recent commencement ceremony in Winter Park, Florida.
When Rande Cook first spotted the potted plant, he 'hired' it on the spot. There was something about the snake plant that seemed to speak to him.
A retiree in Ontario has just purchased what is being called the 'cheapest home in the GTA'—a caboose located on a commercially zoned parking lot near Milton.
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek routed Aryna Sabalenka for her 27th straight win and reached the Italian Open final on Saturday. Not since Serena Williams seven years ago has another woman had such a hot streak.
Milwaukee officials on Saturday enacted a curfew for young people and added extra patrols after 21 people were injured in three separate downtown shootings near an entertainment district where thousands gathered for an NBA playoff game.
Phil Mickelson withdrew Friday from the PGA Championship, electing to extend his hiatus from golf following his incendiary comments he made about a Saudi-funded rival league he supports and the PGA Tour he accused of greed.
National gas prices are continuing their rise to staggering highs this weekend, with drivers in Vancouver told to brace for as much as $2.34 per litre at the pumps.
A man who this week drove his rented Maserati down Rome's Spanish Steps now faces charges for allegedly causing damage to the landmark, according to police in the Italian capital.
Four times Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel said on Thursday that climate change had made him question his job as a driver travelling the world to race cars.
© 2022 All rights reserved. Use of this Website assumes acceptance of Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy