health
New method advances cancer detection with blood test
The possibility of diagnosing diseases such as cancer earlier and more accurately through a simple and inexpensive blood test is closer than ever. A study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Pnas) presents a new method called MethylScan, developed by researchers at the University of California [...]
TL;DR
- MethylScan, developed by UCLA researchers, is a new blood test for early disease detection.
- It analyzes DNA methylation in circulating free DNA (cfDNA), which reflects tissue health.
- The test overcomes the challenge of background noise by selectively removing DNA from normal blood cells.
- Initial tests showed 98% specificity and detected about 63% of cancers overall, and 55% in early stages.
- It can also identify the tissue of origin for abnormal signals.
- The estimated cost of the test once commercialized is around $20.