Medical Breakthrough Redesigned blood test can detect many cancers early

Can a newly developed blood test improve the early diagnosis of cancer?

To date, there is no test that can detect cancer at very early stages. A new universal blood test is said to detect eight of the most common cancers, according to scientific data. Some physicians see this as a huge step forward, as the test could save many lives if the cancer was diagnosed early. German researchers responded more subdued.

The scientists at Johns Hopkins University found in their recent research that the newly developed blood test can easily and effectively detect various forms of cancer. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Science".

Cancer cells spread in the body of the patients and lead to various negative effects or, in the worst case, to the death of those affected. (Image: crevis / fotolia.com)

In the future, an annual cancer test could save many lives

One of the biggest goals of medicine is a universal blood test to detect cancer. Researchers have now come a great deal closer to this goal. The physicians developed a blood test that detects eight common forms of cancer. The experts hope that the development leads to an annual test that detects cancer early and thus saves many lives. However, the researchers say further research is needed to assess the effectiveness of the test in detecting early cancer.

How does the new blood test work??

Tumors release tiny traces of their mutated DNA and proteins, which they then release into the bloodstream. The newly developed test is looking for mutations in 16 different genes that are common in cancer. In addition, the test also identifies eight proteins that are commonly released in a cancer.

Investigation involved over 1,000 subjects with cancer

The effectiveness of the test was tested on 1,005 patients with various cancers. These included, for example, cancer in the liver, stomach, pancreas, esophagus, intestine, lung, breast or ovary, which had not yet spread to other tissues. The test found 70 percent of cancers.

Five of the eight types of cancer studied have no early detection programs

The early detection of cancer can have a huge impact on mortality from cancer, explained author Dr. Cristian Tomasetti from the School of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. The earlier the cancer is detected, the greater the likelihood of successfully treating the disease. In five of the eight types of cancer studied, there are no screening programs for early detection. For example, pancreatic cancer has so few symptoms that it can be detected late. As a result, four out of five patients die from the disease in the year of diagnosis. The identification of tumors at a time when they can still be surgically removed would make a huge difference to the survivors' survival, adds Dr. Cristian Tomasetti added.

Blood test could complement existing screening tools

The test, called CancerSEEK, is currently being reviewed in patients who are not diagnosed with cancer. This investigation must now prove the usefulness of the test. The hope of the physicians is that the new test can complement other screening tools such as breast cancer mammograms and colorectal cancer colonoscopies.

Also, the diagnosis of other cancers possible?

An increase in the number of analyzed mutations and proteins in the assay could allow a wider range of cancers to be identified, the researchers explain. A blood test to diagnose cancer, without all other procedures such as scans or colonoscopy, have enormous potential, say the doctors. However, early diagnosis does not resolve the uncertainty of how some types of cancer should be treated accurately. If the cancer is not immediately life-threatening, in some cases treatment may even be worse than living with the disease, the researchers add.

Criticism from German researchers
The evaluation of German experts was critical. Udo Siebholt from the University of Halle as well as the AG Molecular Pathology of the German Society for Pathology doubted that the new test could meet the requirements of a screening test. "Sensitivity, specificity and robustness of the method would have to be very high in order to avoid unnecessary examinations, costs and uncertainty among the test persons," says Siebolt in the Ärzteblatt. The expert confirmed that the importance of cell-free DNA is still not conclusively assessable. Benign lesions such as Intestinal polyps, show first genetic changes. Therefore, because of the frequency, "false-positive" results may be more frequent than in the control group of the study. (As)