biostudies-literatureSalmond NNSERC Discovery Grants Program326https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12534435biostudies-literatureUnknown9(1)Diagnosis of stage 1 breast cancer is challenging as small tumors are often left undetected by conventional imaging techniques. In addition, ~80% of detected breast masses are classified as benign, which means that a large proportion of diagnostic needle biopsies lead to unnecessary psychological stress and medical costs. We investigated circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) as potential carriers of unique cancer-associated proteins capable of reporting on a breast cancer diagnosis. We isolated EVs from healthy (19), benign (19), and stage 1 breast cancer patient (86) plasma samples using size exclusion chromatography. Mass spectrometry identified 94 significantly changed proteins in the plasma EVs from breast cancer patients. Analysis of a subset of these proteins using a cohort of preNPJ precision oncologyCirculating enolase 1 as a diagnostic biomarker for early-stage breast cancer.PMC12534435RGPIN-04641Moravcova RBrackstone MWatson PHLynn KSalmond NWilliams KCRogalski JCTam WSKhanna KfalseCirculating enolase 1 as a diagnostic biomarker for early-stage breast cancer.Diagnosis of stage 1 breast cancer is challenging as small tumors are often left undetected by conventional imaging techniques. In addition, ~80% of detected breast masses are classified as benign, which means that a large proportion of diagnostic needle biopsies lead to unnecessary psychological stress and medical costs. We investigated circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) as potential carriers of unique cancer-associated proteins capable of reporting on a breast cancer diagnosis. We isolated EVs from healthy (19), benign (19), and stage 1 breast cancer patient (86) plasma samples using size exclusion chromatography. Mass spectrometry identified 94 significantly changed proteins in the plasma EVs from breast cancer patients. Analysis of a subset of these proteins using a cohort of pre2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Oct2026-06-04T13:50:01.672Z2026-05-09T03:11:59.834ZS-EPMC125344354110744310.1038/s41698-025-01109-y