We have written before about the unfortunate existence of genetic testing scams. But today, we share good news about a new advance in cancer testing.
Finding Undiagnosed Careers: A New Advance in Cancer Testing
According to Amy Mone of Johns Hopkins University, writing for Futurity:
A liquid biopsy test can safely detect as many as 26 undiagnosed cancers, according to a study of 9,900 women with no evidence or history of cancer. The findings show the test could be incorporated into routine clinical care in combination with conventional screening.
Overall, the blood test detected 26 cancers. While standard screening such as mammography or colonoscopy detected an additional 24 cancers. Together, screen-detected cancers (those detected through either blood testing or standard screening), accounted for more than half of the 96 cancers detected during the study period.
Diagnostic PET-CT most often localized cancers the new test detected. Surgeons could remove 12 of the cancers the blood test detected.
Researchers at the Ludwig Center at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, who developed the blood test, say the study, called DETECT-A (Detecting cancers Earlier Through Elective mutation-based blood Collection and Testing) represents the first time researchers used any liquid biopsy blood test clinically to screen for cancer in a population without previously detected cancer for the purpose of diagnosis and intervention—specifically treatment with the intent to cure cancer.
Click the image to read more from Mone.
