According to research published in Nature Communications, there’s a new blood test that can detect several types of cancers years before previously possible. Early detection of cancer can potentially death rates caused by cancer exponentially. Scientists have been trying for years to develop cancer-screening tests that would detect malignancy potential before tumor cells had the chance to spread, which would make treatment much more effective. However, those attempts failed, at least until recently.
PanSeer
The blood test is called PanSeer, and it was developed by an international team of scientists at the University of California. The scientists were able to diagnose five different cancer types well before symptoms developed in the patients tested.
The five types of cancer PanSeer can currently detect are esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, and bowel cancer. All these cancers are pretty common.
The Technique
PanSeer is based on a technique that was developed over ten years. The test detects malignant tumors in their early stages long before any symptoms are noticed. Other tests are unable to detect malignant tumors before symptoms appear. Previous detection methods usually involved blood samples being collected from people who were already diagnosed.
The new study, however, included a decade-long healthy survey that was taken between 2007 and 2017. The survey took blood samples from more than 120,000 healthy people in China, collecting samples from people before presenting any symptoms of having cancer.
The detection technique is based on a biological process known as DNA methylation analysis. This technique screens DNA signatures specific to different cancers and identifies locations at the most significant risk of signaling cancer. A special algorithm then compiles the data and indicates a person’s likelihood of developing cancer.
The test was able to detect early signs of cancer in 95% of the 605 patients who didn’t show any symptoms when being tested but developed cancer up to four years later.
Get Screened for Cancer
Getting screened for cancer regularly can help catch cancer in its early stages. This dramatically increases your odds of survival. At Nevada Surgery and Cancer Center, we can help you with this process. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.