Altum Sequencing's Liquid Biopsy Technology Detects Breast Cancer Relapse Up to 68 Months Before Clinical Symptoms
核心洞察
Altum Sequencing (搜索) has developed a liquid biopsy technology that can detect breast cancer relapse up to 68 months before symptoms become apparent through traditional diagnostic methods.
The technology analyzes circulating tumor DNA (搜索) from blood samples and can detect one tumor cell among a million healthy cells using next-generation sequencing.
Published in Breast Cancer Research, the study focused on HR+ breast cancer (搜索) patients, where up to 40% experience relapse despite initial treatment response.
Altum Sequencing (搜索), a Spanish start-up supported by the C3N-IA Science Park at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (搜索), has developed a breakthrough liquid biopsy technology that can detect breast cancer relapse up to 68 months before clinical symptoms become detectable through conventional diagnostic methods. The innovation represents a significant advancement in post-treatment cancer monitoring, offering physicians an unprecedented early warning system for disease recurrence.
Revolutionary Early Detection Capability
The technology's effectiveness was detailed in a recent study published in Breast Cancer Research, focusing on HR+ breast cancer (搜索), the most common subtype among women. While many patients with this cancer type initially respond well to therapy, up to 40% experience relapse over time. The new system addresses this critical challenge by analyzing circulating tumor DNA (搜索) (ctDNA) - tumor-derived DNA that spreads into the bloodstream.
"Our goal is not to diagnose cancer, but to provide physicians with an effective tool to monitor the evolution of the disease after treatment," explains Joaquín Martínez-López, President of Altum Sequencing (搜索). "Current diagnostic tools have sensitivity limitations, which makes early detection of these relapses difficult, but thanks to NGS (next generation sequencing) DNA sequencing technology, we can detect one tumor cell among a million healthy cells from a simple blood sample."
Personalized Monitoring Methodology
The detection process begins with an initial tumor biopsy to identify patient-specific mutations. Subsequently, regular blood tests monitor for traces of these specific mutations in circulating tumor DNA (搜索). This personalized approach ensures that monitoring is tailored to each patient's unique tumor profile.
"The advantage of our technology is that it is very minimally invasive, versatile and tailored to each tumor type," adds Marina Planas, CEO of Altum Sequencing (搜索). "In addition, the cost is significantly reduced by focusing only on mutations relevant to each patient. This also allows us to avoid unnecessary treatments and minimizes the risk of false positives."
Broad Application Potential
The technology's scope extends far beyond breast cancer, with applicability to any solid tumor (搜索) type. Altum Sequencing (搜索) initially focused on hematological cancers such as multiple myeloma (搜索) and acute myeloid leukemia (搜索) but has expanded to demonstrate promising results in lung cancers as well.
"We started with haematological cancers such as multiple myeloma (搜索) and acute myeloid leukaemia, but we are already seeing good results in lung cancers as well, so our goal is to transform cancer monitoring," states Planas. "Today, we can detect one cell in a million. In the future, it will be one in ten million."
Future Integration and Regulatory Path
The company is actively pursuing regulatory approvals in both Europe and the United States to make this technology available in hospitals worldwide. Additionally, Altum Sequencing (搜索) plans to integrate generative artificial intelligence throughout 2024, building upon existing machine learning algorithms to improve diagnostic accuracy, optimize treatment adaptation, and provide more personalized patient information.
Institutional Support and Collaborations
Altum Sequencing (搜索) operates with substantial institutional backing from the Centre for Innovation in Entrepreneurship and Artificial Intelligence (C3N-IA) at the UC3M Science Park. The company has received support from the Community of Madrid, the Centre for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI), and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER).
The technology development involves collaborations with multiple prestigious medical institutions, including 12 de Octubre Hospital (搜索), Gregorio Marañón Hospital (搜索), HM hospitals, and Hospital Regional de Málaga. Research partnerships extend to centers such as CNIO (搜索), Universidad Complutense, and IBIMA, with the study coordinated from Málaga under principal investigator Iñaki Comino.