A Blood Test Developed That Can Detect More Than 50 Types of Cancer

Scientists have announced that a simple blood test developed through research they conducted can detect more than 50 types of cancer, often before symptoms appear. Clinical research on the blood test, details of which were published in the journal Annals of Oncology, was carried out by scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, The Francis Crick Institute and University of London. The blood test, which was tested on more than 4,000 samples taken from cancer patients and healthy individuals, correctly identified the type of cancer in 96 percent of cases. Colorectal, lung and ovarian cancers were among the types the test successfully identified. The test, developed by Grail, works by detecting chemical changes that capture very small fragments of genetic code leaking from tumors into the blood. Experts have noted that further research on the test is needed, while the blood test could enable tumors to be diagnosed while treatments are still easier.