A new blood test has been developed that can detect signs of cancerous tumours years before symptoms appear. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University in the US have created a highly sensitive test that can identify genetic material shed by tumours in the bloodstream, giving patients time for intervention and potentially leading to better treatment outcomes.
The study found that genetic mutations caused by cancer can be detected in the blood over three years in advance for some patients. This early detection could lead to more standardised blood tests being used to screen people regularly, which could boost early detection and prevent cancers from becoming treatment-resistant tumours.
The test was developed using genome sequencing techniques and was tested on 52 participants who were later diagnosed with cancer. Eight of these participants scored positively in the multicancer early detection (MCED) laboratory test, which detected multiple cancers in their blood samples. In four of these cases, mutations linked to tumour growth could be identified.
The findings suggest that this new blood test has promise and could lead to improved treatment outcomes for patients with cancer. However, more research is needed to validate the results in a larger-scale trial involving more participants.
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/cancer-symptoms-blood-test-breakthrough-b2771237.html