"Game changer": Aussie women welcome new early-detection cancer test

Australian women will soon have access to a revolutionary blood test designed to aid in the early detection of breast cancer. The innovative test, known as BREASTEST plus™, was developed by BCAL Diagnostics and is set to complement traditional breast cancer screening methods such as mammograms and ultrasounds.

BCAL Diagnostics chair Jayne Shaw revealed to 7NEWS that the development of the test had taken 15 years, describing it as a "game changer" for women worldwide.

“The breast test is a game changer for all women everywhere because it’s a blood test to detect breast cancer alongside other diagnostic tools like ultrasound and a mammogram,” Shaw said.

She pointed out that a similar blood test for prostate cancer, which has been available since 1989, has significantly improved clinical outcomes for men. “Early diagnosis for all cancers will lead to improved survivability rates, and it was only inevitable that a blood test would be developed to diagnose breast cancer earlier,” she added.

One of the major advantages of the new blood test is its ability to detect breast cancer in women with high breast density. Around 40-50% of Australian women undergoing screening have high breast density, which can obscure abnormalities on mammograms and make diagnosis more difficult.

3 signs your diet is causing too much muscle loss – and what to do about it

With the ability to identify breast cancer markers, the blood test will provide a valuable additional tool for detecting cancers that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Breast Cancer Network Australia director Vicki Durston welcomed the new test, especially for its potential to improve the reporting of high breast density cases, where cancers are often missed. “Breast Cancer Network Australia has long been calling for the uplift in the breast density statement nationally to see standardised reporting across the country,” Durston said.

She also noted that while high breast density is just one of many risk factors, the new test represents an innovative step forward in improving early detection and treatment.

Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Australian women, accounting for approximately 28% of all new cancer cases. In 2024 alone, around 21,194 people were diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia, including 20,973 women and 221 men. However, survival rates have improved dramatically, with Australia’s peak breast cancer body reporting that the five-year survival rate has risen from 78% in 1994 to 92% in 2020, with many people living long and healthy lives beyond this period.

What’s the difference between ‘man flu’ and flu? Hint: men may not be exaggerating

While the test currently comes at an out-of-pocket cost, there is hope that the Australian government will eventually provide subsidies under Medicare to make it more accessible. The first tests will be available at the Sydney Breast Clinic starting Thursday, followed by a rollout in Melbourne, with plans to expand nationwide by the end of the year.

Images: Shutterstock / 7NEWS