A team from the UK’s Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) used an ultra-sensitive liquid biopsy to detect the presence of tiny amounts of cancer DNA left in the body following treatment for early breast cancer.

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Researchers were able to identify all patients in a study who went on to relapse by detecting very low levels of cancer found in the blood - known as molecular residual disease.

More research is planned, but the ICR said the results "lay the groundwork for better post-treatment monitoring and potentially life-extending treatment".