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posted by janrinok on Monday June 04 2018, @05:22AM   Printer-friendly
from the earlier-detection-=-improved-outcome dept.

'Holy grail of cancer research': doctors positive about early detection blood test

A blood test for 10 different types of cancers could one day help doctors screen for the disease before patients show symptoms, researchers at the world's largest gathering of oncologists have said.

The test, called a liquid biopsy, screens for cancer by detecting tiny bits of DNA released by cancer cells into blood. The test had particularly good results for ovarian and pancreatic cancers, though the number of cancers detected was small.

Researchers hope the test will become part of a "universal screening" tool that doctors can use to detect cancer in patients.

"This is potentially the holy grail of cancer research, to find cancers that are currently hard to cure at an earlier stage when they are easier to cure," said Dr Eric Klein, lead author of the research from Cleveland Clinic's Taussig Cancer Institute. "We hope this test could save many lives."

Also at CNN.

Development of a comprehensive cell-free DNA (cfDNA) assay for early detection of multiple tumor types: The Circulating Cell-free Genome Atlas (CCGA) study. (abstract only)


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  • (Score: 1) by sonamchauhan on Monday June 04 2018, @08:00AM (4 children)

    by sonamchauhan (6546) Subscriber Badge on Monday June 04 2018, @08:00AM (#688276)

    If, instead of a cheek swab, i sent a blood sample to 23andme.com, would my DNA dump have anything to detect cancer? Or is it the whole genetic sequencing versus genetic typing at play again here?

  • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday June 04 2018, @08:06AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday June 04 2018, @08:06AM (#688279)

    This is like going to a lake and sequencing a sample to find out about all of the critters living in it. Except it's a lake of your own blood and the critters are mutants.

    Even if 23andme could offer this service, they might not want to if it exposes them to more regulations.

  • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday June 04 2018, @08:18AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday June 04 2018, @08:18AM (#688283)

    No, what you are getting back is going to be an average sequence from many cells. Each cell is unique and that particular sequence probably wont even exist in your body.

  • (Score: 2) by opinionated_science on Monday June 04 2018, @01:45PM (1 child)

    by opinionated_science (4031) on Monday June 04 2018, @01:45PM (#688341)

    only if you are very unlucky - the disorders with know markers are (by definition) implicated directly in disease, and are not so treatable.

    It *can* help for diseases like Breast cancer (BRCA genes), but the treatment seems to still be double mastectomy (re. A Jolie's public disclosure).

    The biopsy might improve with time, if antibodies can be developed to cellular targets.