Despite rapid advances in its treatment, cancer remains one of the most challenging diseases, claiming 9.7 million lives globally in 2022, as per a tabulation by WHO.
Yet, a relatively new blood test now appears quite promising in detecting the presence of cancer tumors, and that too years before clinical symptoms manifest.
To wit, a Johns Hopkins research team, led by Dr. Yuxuan Wang, has now published the results of their study in the Cancer Discovery journal, claiming that a multicancer early detection (MCED) test can identify "circulating tumor DNA" or ctDNA within the blood stream years before a formal clinical diagnosis.
The team analyzed 26 plasma samples collected for another study. These individuals were formally diagnosed with cancer within 6 months of sample collection.
Wang's team also examined 26 other plasma samples from the same cohort but where the donors did not receive a formal cancer diagnosis.
At the time of plasma collection, 8 of these 52 individuals had already scored positive on an MCED. All 8 received a cancer diagnosis within 4 months.
The team was also able to examine the earlier blood samples available for 6 of these individuals, going back 3.1 to 3.5 years. Tumor-driven DNA mutations were apparent in 4 of these cases as well, suggesting the efficacy of an MCED in detecting potentially cancerous mutations as early as 3 years before clinical onset.
Of course, do note that MCED tests are not FDA-approved yet, and can cost hundreds of dollars. These tests are also generally not eligible for coverage under medical insurance plans.
Also, as per the current guidance from the American Cancer Society, a positive MCED score is not a definitive proof of cancerous tumor. Yet, as demonstrated by Wang's team in the just-published study, these tests can play a critical ancillary role in the early diagnosis of cancer.
Given the utility of MCED tests in detecting cancer-driven DNA mutations, do you think health insurers should start providing coverage for these tests immediately or wait for formal FDA approval? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
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