Health and Me

Rachel V Thomas

Revolutionary Blood Test May Detect Multiple Cancers From a Single Sample

<span><a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/cancer">Cancer</a></span> is a complex disease, and its diagnosis often involves multiple tests, procedures, and high costs. Patients frequently undergo several blood draws and investigations before a clear result is reached.

Now, a revolutionary new low-cost test has shown promise in detecting multiple cancers using just a single blood sample.

Beyond cancer detection, the test may also help identify various liver conditions and organ abnormalities by analyzing DNA fragments circulating in the bloodstream.

The test, developed by scientists at the <span>University of California</span>, Los Angeles, is known as <span>MethylScan</span>. The novel test works by analyzing cell-free DNA, tiny fragments of genetic material released into the blood when cells die.

In early tests, MethylScan detected about 63 per cent of cancers across all stages and roughly 55 per cent of early-stage cancers.

The test, described in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could offer a powerful and more affordable approach to early disease detection and comprehensive health monitoring.

“Early detection is crucial,” said Dr. <span>Jasmine Zhou</span>, Professor of Pathology at UCLA Health.

“Survival rates are far higher when cancers are caught before they spread. If you detect cancer at stage one, outcomes are dramatically better than at stage four,” Dr Zhou added.

<h2>How Does The New Cancer Test Work?</h2>

MethylScan studies DNA methylation—chemical tags on DNA that reflect tissue health and can change when disease develops.

Since most circulating DNA comes from healthy cells, advanced machine learning is used to identify subtle disease signals.

<h2>The New Cancer Test Is A Health Radar</h2>

In the study, MethylScan analyzed blood samples from 1,061 people, including patients with liver, lung, ovarian, and stomach cancers.

For multi-cancer detection, the test achieved a high level of overall accuracy. At a specificity of 98 per cent, meaning few false positives, it detected about 63 per cent of cancers across all stages and roughly 55 per cent of early-stage cancers.

The test also performed well in liver cancer surveillance among high-risk individuals, including those with liver cirrhosis or <span>HBV</span>. It detected nearly 80 per cent of cases at a specificity of just over 90 per cent, meaning a less than 10 per cent false positive rate.

The <span>blood test</span> could also distinguish between different types of liver disease, including viral hepatitis and metabolic-associated liver disease. It correctly classified about 85 per cent of patients, suggesting blood-based DNA testing could reduce the need for invasive liver biopsies.

In addition, the researchers noted that MethylScan can work like a health radar for the body. By reading DNA signals in the blood, it can tell when specific organs, such as the liver or lungs, are under stress or damaged, even without knowing the disease in advance.

“This study demonstrates that blood-based methylation profiling can deliver clinically meaningful information across multiple diseases,” said Zhou. “It’s an exciting advancement that brings us closer to realizing the dream of a single assay for universal disease detection.”

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Cancer is a complex disease, and its diagnosis often involves multiple tests, procedures, and high costs. Patients frequently undergo several blood draws and investigations before a clear result is reached.Now, a revolutionary new low-cost test has shown promise in detecting multiple cancers using just a single blood sample.Beyond cancer detection, the test may also help identify various liver conditions and organ abnormalities by analyzing DNA fragments circulating in the bloodstream.The test, developed by scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, is known as MethylScan. The novel test works by analyzing cell-free DNA, tiny fragments of genetic material released into the blood when cells die.In early tests, MethylScan detected about 63 per cent of cancers across all stages and roughly 55 per cent of early-stage cancers.The test, described in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could offer a powerful and more affordable approach to early disease detection and comprehensive health monitoring.“Early detection is crucial,” said Dr. Jasmine Zhou, Professor of Pathology at UCLA Health.“Survival rates are far higher when cancers are caught before they spread. If you detect cancer at stage one, outcomes are dramatically better than at stage four,” Dr Zhou added.How Does The New Cancer Test Work?MethylScan studies DNA methylation—chemical tags on DNA that reflect tissue health and can change when disease develops.Since most circulating DNA comes from healthy cells, advanced machine learning is used to identify subtle disease signals.The New Cancer Test Is A Health RadarIn the study, MethylScan analyzed blood samples from 1,061 people, including patients with liver, lung, ovarian, and stomach cancers.For multi-cancer detection, the test achieved a high level of overall accuracy. At a specificity of 98 per cent, meaning few false positives, it detected about 63 per cent of cancers across all stages and roughly 55 per cent of early-stage cancers.The test also performed well in liver cancer surveillance among high-risk individuals, including those with liver cirrhosis or HBV. It detected nearly 80 per cent of cases at a specificity of just over 90 per cent, meaning a less than 10 per cent false positive rate.The blood test could also distinguish between different types of liver disease, including viral hepatitis and metabolic-associated liver disease. It correctly classified about 85 per cent of patients, suggesting blood-based DNA testing could reduce the need for invasive liver biopsies.In addition, the researchers noted that MethylScan can work like a health radar for the body. By reading DNA signals in the blood, it can tell when specific organs, such as the liver or lungs, are under stress or damaged, even without knowing the disease in advance.“This study demonstrates that blood-based methylation profiling can deliver clinically meaningful information across multiple diseases,” said Zhou. “It’s an exciting advancement that brings us closer to realizing the dream of a single assay for universal disease detection.”