Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and The University of Texas at Austin have identified blood-based genomic biomarkers that distinguish inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) from other breast cancer subtypes, potentially enabling new approaches for noninvasive diagnosis and disease monitoring.
The findings, published in Science Advances, highlight RNA signatures detectable in blood samples that may help overcome long-standing challenges in differentiating IBC from non-inflammatory breast cancers using conventional genomic methods.
Tackling a difficult-to-characterize cancer
IBC is among the most aggressive and lethal forms of breast cancer. Despite its clinical severity, it has remained difficult to molecularly distinguish from other breast cancers because traditional genome sequencing approaches often reveal similar mutation profiles across subtypes.
Standard RNA sequencing methods can also miss key molecular signals due to limitations in enzyme performance when processing complex or fragmented RNA species, reducing the amount of actionable information recovered from clinical samples.
To address these challenges, the research team used a specialized sequencing approach known as TGIRT sequencing, which employs a more robust enzyme system capable of capturing a broader spectrum of RNA molecules, including complex and fragmented forms that are often missed by conventional techniques.
Distinct RNA signatures in blood and tumor samples
Using TGIRT sequencing, researchers were able to more precisely map RNA expression patterns in tumor tissue and blood samples from patients with IBC compared with non-IBC cases.
They found that blood samples from patients with IBC exhibited elevated levels of noncoding RNAs and increased white blood cell signals compared with samples from healthy individuals or patients with non-inflammatory breast cancers. These patterns suggest immune system activation and potential disruptions in RNA processing pathways, including RNA splicing and messenger RNA production.
In plasma samples, IBC-associated signals were enriched for intron-derived RNA fragments—segments of genetic material typically removed during RNA processing. By contrast, healthy blood samples were more enriched for messenger RNA fragments, which reflect normal RNA degradation and gene regulation processes.
Toward liquid biopsy-based monitoring
The study suggests that these RNA signatures could serve as blood-based biomarkers for detecting and tracking IBC over time. Because tumor tissue in IBC is often difficult to obtain, a liquid biopsy approach could provide a less invasive and more practical way to monitor disease progression and potentially guide treatment decisions.
“These findings provide new insights into inflammatory breast cancer that should enable clinicians to monitor disease progression simply through liquid biopsy,” said lead author Savitri Krishnamurthy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. “Because it is so difficult to obtain tumor samples, these blood-based biomarkers could be truly transformative in developing treatments for this patient population.”
The study also involved collaborators including Alan Lambowitz and Naoto Ueno at the University of Hawai’i Cancer Center.
Overall, the researchers identified candidate biomarkers across tumor tissue, peripheral blood cells, and plasma, laying the groundwork for future diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies targeting the unique molecular features of inflammatory breast cancer.
Note: This news summary was generated by AI based on a published press release, followed by a review from human editors.
