An abnormal result in a prenatal test signals a possible problem related to a fetus but now, according to a recent study, a non-invasive genetic test may also reveal maternal cancers.
Prenatal tests which look at an expectant woman's blood, per NBC News, are typically used to detect fetal genetic abnormalities, one of which is Down Syndrome. In a recent research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, experts have found that what may be initially thought of as a fetal abnormality may in fact be cancer.
"If the test comes back abnormal, the patient should not panic," quoted WebMD of study researcher Dr. Diana Bianchi, executive director of the Mother Infant Research Institute at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. "It doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong with the fetus."
Bianchi emphasized the importance of doing further studies should results come back and it's found to be irregular. More studies and follow up tests should be done. While the percentage of cases of cancer in the mother is relatively low, it's important that this be considered a possibility.
"Cancer is not that common in pregnant women," Bianchi added. "It [affects] about one in 1,000." While cancer is a serious diagnosis for women, benefits of detection may include an earlier diagnosis of an unknown condition which may result in a better prognosis and an increased chance of survival, explained the author.
The option of NIPT is most often recommended to mothers who are considered to be a high-risk pregnancy. The test can be administered as early as 10 weeks into the pregnancy.
As part of the study's conclusion, the research published, "In this preliminary study, a small number of cases of occult malignancy were subsequently diagnosed among pregnant women whose non-invasive prenatal testing results showed discordance with the fetal karyotype. The clinical importance of these findings will require further research."
It's estimated that the test has been administered over two million times since it was first introduced back in 2011.
"It's a reminder that when we launch a particular technology in one direction, we may benefit by unexpected discoveries in another direction," said Robert Green (via the Washington Post). Green is a physician and scientist in the genetics division at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "It's also a reminder of what all of the cautionary voices have told us: that when you do genetic testing ... you may find out things you did not expect to find out."
