A new blood test for breast cancer

Nov 3 2009

A healthy 44-year-old woman will celebrate many future birthdays thanks to the efforts of Dr. Keri Sweeten and a new blood test for breast cancer.

Dr. Sweeten, a board-certified gynecologist and Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, recently incorporated the Provista Life Science BT Test®, a blood test for the detection of breast cancer, into her patient care practice. Sweeten noted a case where a 44-year-old patient called to schedule her annual mammogram, and in advance of the mammogram Sweeten ordered the BT Test. When her patient's BT Score® came back high, indicating an increased likelihood of the presence of breast cancer, she changed the order for her patient's routine screening mammogram to a diagnostic bilateral mammogram.

A diagnostic mammogram is an enhanced radiology procedure that increases the number and angles of breast imaging views with increased magnification of those views. Using this procedure, the radiologist was able to locate a deep, very small clustering of suspicious looking cells in the patient's left breast. A biopsy was recommended, performed and the subsequent pathologist's report came back with a confirmed diagnosis of cancer. Surgery was scheduled two weeks later and the cancerous growth removed.

"My patient is a young woman with dense breast tissue where the sensitivity of digital and film mammography is known to be limited, but is still considered the standard of care. Had it not been for the BT Test, we might not have caught her cancer," said Sweeten. "My patient's first reply to me was, 'You saved my life.' I'm not sure much more needs to be said."

The BT Test, or the Biomarker Translation Test, is a CLIA compliant laboratory test developed by Phoenix-based Provista Life Sciences. The test analyzes blood for changes in multiple serum-based protein biomarkers levels that are associated with the underlying pathology of breast cancer. The individual test results, along with a brief patient-specific medical profile, are processed through a proprietary data analysis procedure to generate a single numeric value called the BT Score, which is indicative of the presence or absence of breast cancer.

"The BT Test was designed to provide healthcare providers with another 'tool in their toolbox' that can be used as a complement with current imaging technologies in the fight to detect this devastating disease as early as possible," said William J. Gartner, CEO and President of Provista. "For Dr. Sweeten's patient, the BT Test played a role in detecting her breast cancer and we are proud of that."

The BT Test is currently available in 41 states, 27 of which are considered direct-to-consumer states where a physician's prescription is not required. The BT Test can be ordered through a women's primary healthcare provider or online. Once the sample is collected and tested, the results are sent to the patient and/or their designated primary care physician. A complete list of local Phoenix area providers is also available on the Provista Web site: www.provistals.com. To find out more about the BT Test and how it can be ordered visit their Web site or call 602-224-5500