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Researchers on the Nationwide Institutes of Well being (NIH) discovered beforehand undetected cancers in 48.6% of pregnant individuals who had irregular outcomes for prenatal cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing used to display for chromosomal issues within the fetus.
Cancers included colorectal, breast, lung and pancreatic cancers, in addition to lymphoma, cholangiocarcinoma and renal carcinoma. The screening check analyzes placental DNA fragments circulating within the maternal bloodstream to determine an additional chromosome or to find out the infant’s intercourse. The examine seems within the New England Journal of Medication.
Along with fetal DNA, cfDNA testing detects DNA launched from the mom’s pink blood stem cells and, often, irregular DNA that will end result from an undetected most cancers within the asymptomatic pregnant particular person. NIH’s ongoing IDENTIFY examine seeks to study extra about irregular cfDNA check outcomes that would point out potential cancers.
For the present evaluation, researchers carried out most cancers screening of 107 IDENTIFY contributors utilizing complete physique magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), customary medical diagnostic assessments, and cfDNA sequencing.
A complete of 52 contributors had been identified with most cancers. For this group, the authors discovered that complete physique MRI was the simplest methodology for detecting most cancers. Normal diagnostic strategies, reminiscent of taking a medical historical past, assessing signs, and bodily examination, had been of restricted use in figuring out a participant’s most cancers or its location.
Different irregular cfDNA outcomes had been attributed to fibroids (benign uterine tumors), placental chromosomes that differed from fetal chromosomes, and clonal hematopoiesis within the mom (a precancerous state that may result in blood cancers). The researchers famous the necessity for added research to validate cfDNA sequencing patterns described by the investigators that would point out most cancers on this younger, pregnant inhabitants with out apparent scientific signs.
The examine was carried out by researchers in NIH’s Nationwide Human Genome Analysis Institute, Nationwide Most cancers Institute, and Eunice Kennedy Shriver Nationwide Institute of Youngster Well being and Human Growth (NICHD).
Extra info:
Amy E. Turriff et al, Prenatal cfDNA Sequencing and Incidental Detection of Maternal Most cancers, New England Journal of Medication (2024). DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2401029. www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2401029
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Irregular prenatal blood check outcomes might point out hidden maternal cancers (2024, December 4)
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