Blood Test Could Predict Likelihood of Breast Cancer Spreading to The Bone
Posted on 04 Jul 2025
When breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it becomes secondary or metastatic breast cancer—a stage that, while treatable, is currently incurable. The bone is the most common site for this spread, and secondary tumors in the bone can cause severe symptoms and a significant decline in quality of life. This can occur months or even years after initial treatment, and currently, there is no reliable way to predict who is most at risk. Researchers are now working on a blood-based method to detect early warning signs, with the goal of identifying patients at higher risk before metastasis occurs.
Researchers at The University of Sheffield (Sheffield, UK who are developing this solution had previously identified 16 proteins produced by breast cancer cells that are primed to spread to bone. These proteins can be detected in blood during the early stages of the disease, before metastasis has occurred. In the current study, the team will analyze blood samples from up to 400 people with primary breast cancer who took part in two large clinical trials. These participants were followed for five to ten years to determine whether they later developed secondary breast cancer. Using advanced computational techniques, the researchers aim to determine which combination of proteins is most predictive of bone metastasis. The end goal is to create a test based on three to five key proteins to assess each patient’s individual risk.
The team will evaluate how well this panel of proteins performs in identifying patients at risk of bone metastasis. If successful, the test could lead to a new approach in breast cancer care, helping doctors tailor treatment and monitoring strategies based on individual risk. The researchers hope this blood test will support those at high risk with more proactive care, while also sparing those at lower risk from unnecessary treatments. The test could ultimately change how breast cancer patients are followed up after treatment and contribute to earlier, more targeted interventions.
“Secondary breast cancer is currently incurable. And when secondary tumors form in the bone, they can cause debilitating symptoms and reduce people’s quality of life,” said Professor Janet Brown, Professor of Translational Medical Oncology. “This can occur months or even years after treatment, and there’s currently no way to know who this will affect. My team’s working on creating a blood test to predict the risk of future breast cancer spreading to the bone, so that we can better support people at higher risk, while sparing those at lower risk from unnecessary treatments.”
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