Skip to content
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus CU Anschutz
  • Webmail
  • UCD Access
  • Canvas
  • Quick Links
 

Tools & Resources

  • Events Calendar
  • Newsroom
  • Strauss Health Sciences Library
  • Department A-Z Directory
  • Campus Directory
  • Leadership
  • Faculty & Staff Resources
  • Supporter & Alumni Resources
  • Student Resources
  • Campus Map
  • University Policies
  • Give Now

CU Campuses

  • CU Anschutz Medical Campus
  • CU Boulder
  • CU Colorado Springs
  • CU Denver
  • CU System
  • CU Online

CU Anschutz Medical Campus

  • School of Dental Medicine
  • Graduate School
  • School of Medicine
  • College of Nursing
  • Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Colorado School of Public Health

Division of Medical Oncology

School of Medicine

  • Home
  • Leadership
    • Division Head | Wells Messersmith, MD, FACP
    • Deputy Division Head | Virginia Borges, MD, MMSc
  • Research
  • Cancer Care
    • CARE Clinic
    • Clinical Trials
    • Find a Provider
    • Satellite Locations
  • Education
  • Giving
  • Newsroom
  • Division Resources
  • Division Directory
    • Clinical & Research Faculty
    • Research Services Personnel
    • Administrative Staff
University Quick Links
  • Home
  • Newsroom

Medical Oncology Newsroom

Reducing Risk in Monitoring Breast Cancer Progression

Sep 1, 2022

Peter Kabos, MD, and his colleagues at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have identified a way to analyze blood plasma to extract critical breast tumor and disease progression information instead of using more invasive tissue biopsies.  Recently published in Science Advances, Dr. Kabos is senior co-author of this study, which found that plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) contains high resolution, genome-wide binding estrogen receptors (ER) and FOXA1 profiles for breast cancer. FOXA1 is a gene associated with breast cancer. 

"This is simply a blood draw, this allows us to look under the surface to see the defining characteristics of the disease.  The advantage is that we don't need to do repeated tissue biopsies"

Plasma can be analyzed to define gene mutations in cancer with DNA found in plasma containing much more information, “we just need to know where to look" says Dr. Kabos.  Because the same molecular information that comes from tissue biopsies can be obtained directly from the blood, researchers are optimistic this will allow them to provide more information for treatment decisions.  

Dying cells in the human body release their content into the bloodstream and when cancer is present, it also releases fragments of cfDNA into plasma.  According to the study, this suggests that cfDNA has the potential to help uncover the regulatory landscape of cancer from plasma.  These findings are incredibly promising as they could lead to a genome-wide map for defining disease state, predicting treatment outcome and perhaps choosing the most effective cancer therapy.  This study has leveraged an alternate means to obtain the same information in a minimally invasive manner to define underlying disease biology.  

Dr. Kabos and his colleagues are optimistic that the information gleaned from the DNA of cancer could be used to develop new therapies in the future with the same plasma analysis used in breast cancer potentially working with other malignancies. 


 YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

CU ANSCHUTZ NEWS

CU CANCER CENTER NEWS

DIVISION OF HEMATOLOGY

UCHEALTH TODAY

Medical Oncology (SOM)

CU Anschutz

Research I South

12801 East 17th Avenue

8122

Aurora, CO 80045


720-848-0300

Facebook Twitter
School
  • School of Medicine Home
  • Find a Doctor
  • Find a Researcher
  • Departments
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • School Profiles
General
  • Affiliate/Partner Hospitals
  • CU Medicine
  • A-Z Index
  • Directory
  • Map and Parking
  • Webmail
Students
  • Apply Now
  • Alumni
  • Canvas
  • Health Science Library
  • Student Life
  • Colorado Springs Branch
  • Contact Us
  • Website Feedback
  • CU System
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Accessibility
  • Accreditation
  • Employment
  • Give Now
 

© 2022 The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate. All rights reserved.

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. All trademarks are registered property of the University. Used by permission only.

CMS Login

Webmail

UCD Access

Canvas

Opens in a new window Opens document in a new window