20 diagnoses in one analysis

A blood test accurately identifies more than 20 types of cancer

Svetlana Maslova, Hi-tech+

Scientists from The Dana-Farber Cancer Research Institute (USA) presented the results of a new blood test that diagnoses more than 20 types of cancer with high accuracy. The test is based on an assessment of the freely circulating DNA of cancer cells in the bloodstream – tiny chemical labels, or methylation patterns.

The test is sensitive to all stages of tumor development, and also successfully detects its localization in the body. A simple analysis can become a universal first screening for cancer.

"Abnormal methylation patterns are in many cases more indicative of cancer detection than mutations," said Jeffrey Oxnard, lead author of the study.

The new analysis was tested on 3,600 blood samples from patients with diagnosed cancer, as well as healthy people. The method revealed the presence of a tumor, as well as its localization.

The overall specificity of the test, that is, the ability to give a positive response only in the presence of cancer, was 99.4%, and the sensitivity was 76%.

At the same time, the sensitivity of the method depended on the stage of the disease: for the first and second stages, the test detected 32% and 76% of cases, and for the last two 85% and 93%, respectively. In 89% of cases, the test determined the localization of the tumor – that is, a specific organ or tissue with a focus of the disease.

In absolute terms, even a modest percentage of tumor detection at the first stage can lead to the cure of thousands of patients, the authors are sure. The analysis was effective for more than 20 types of cancer, including the most common and fatal – such as tumors of the lungs, pancreas, stomach, esophagus, gallbladder, ovarian and breast cancer.

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