To address the issue of excessive breast density which may affect standard-of-care breast cancer screening procedures, BCAL Diagnostics has introduced BREASTEST plus, a first-in-class blood test.
The lipid test was created by the firm to be used in conjunction with conventional mammography imaging, and it has been proven to be effective in addressing the issue of excessive breast density, which affects roughly 50% of Australian women who take part in breast cancer screening programs.
The Sydney Breast Clinic will start offering the new test on March 27. After that, it will be rolled out to a few clinical locations across the country, beginning in Sydney and Melbourne.
Breast Density
Breast density reflects the proportion of fibrous and glandular tissue versus fatty tissue in the breasts. This shows up as white regions on a mammogram.
Women with dense breasts have a higher chance of developing breast cancer. Mammograms are less effective at finding cancer in dense breasts, with the sensitivity dropping from 90% to 64%. BCAL created BREASTEST plus with a clinical advisory board to address the needs of women with dense breasts.
Targeted timeframe
According to BCAL CEO Shane Ryan, the business met its deadline for bringing the blood test to market.
He said “The commercial launch of BREASTEST plus is an incredible milestone for us and for the future of breast cancer screening.”
“This innovative blood test has the potential to significantly improve the early detection pathway of breast cancer and we look forward to ensuring widespread adoption nationwide, supporting women and clinicians with cutting-edge screening tools.” he added
Vital step forward
Dr. David Speakman, head of the BCAL clinical advisory board and a breast surgeon, praised the new precision medicine blood test.
“Anything we can do to detect breast cancer earlier, to rule it in or out, is a vital step forward for women and saving more lives,” he said.
“This simple blood test can aid clinicians and their patients in assessing for any sign of breast cancer, which is a step change from relying on breast imaging alone.”he added
Self-created patent
This Australian company focused on breast cancer screening, has received a patent called “Diagnostic Signature” from IP Australia for its BREASTEST® technology. This patent, the first one BCAL developed themselves, protects their methods and the specific lipids they use, and it will be in effect until May 10, 2043.
According to BCAL’s CEO, Shane Ryan, the company also possesses exclusive global rights to intellectual property from the University of Louisville regarding the use of lipid data for cancer diagnosis.
