Blood test detects common cancers

A blood test can detect the presence of eight common cancer types, long before symptoms of the disease arise. CancerSEEK detects tiny amounts of DNA and proteins released into the bloodstream from tumours

Standard biopsy: Needle used to remove tissue or sample of cells to be analysed in laboratory

Blood test: Identifies two signals that show person might have cancer

1 Genetic mutations: 16 genes found in free-floating DNA are used to identify cancer cells that escape from a tumour and circulate in bloodstream

2 Proteins: High levels of eight proteins in blood samples also indicate that a person may have cancer

3 Results: In blood samples from 1,005 patients with eight types of tumours, test detected between 33% and 98% of cases

Cases detected (percentage by tumour type)
Ovary 98%
Liver
Stomach
Pancreas
Oesophagus
Colorectum
Lung
Breast 33%
100
80
60
40
20
0

Ovarian, liver, stomach, pancreatic, oesophageal cancers are all difficult to detect early

Sources: Nickolas Papadopoulos at al., Science, Medscape