'Holy grail of cancer research': doctors positive about early detection blood test

[nitpicker]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/01/doctors-welcome-possible-holy-grail-of-cancer-research

'Holy grail of cancer research': doctors positive about early detection blood test

Blood tests called liquid biopsies show signs of finding 10 different types of cancer at an early stage

Jessica Glenza in New York

Fri 1 Jun 2018 07.33 BST First published on Fri 1 Jun 2018 00.17 BST

A blood test for 10 different types of cancers could one day help doctors screen for the disease before patients show symptoms, researchers at the world’s largest gathering of oncologists have said. The test, called a liquid biopsy, screens for cancer by detecting tiny bits of DNA released by cancer cells into blood. The test had particularly good results for ovarian and pancreatic cancers, though the number of cancers detected was small. Researchers hope the test will become part of a “universal screening” tool that doctors can use to detect cancer in patients.
(snip)

The study, by a research team that also included scientists from Stanford University, was presented at the annual conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncologists in Chicago.
(snip)

The research scrutinised the cases of more than 1,600 people, 749 of whom were cancer-free at the time of the study, with no diagnosis, and 878 of whom had been newly diagnosed with a disease. The test was most accurate for diagnosing pancreatic, ovarian, liver and gallbladder cancers, correctly finding the diseases in at least four out of five patients.

The blood test found lymphoma and myeloma with slightly less accuracy, at 77% and 73%, and bowel cancer in two out of three patients. Lung cancer was detected in 59% of patients. Head and neck cancer was detected in 56% of patients.

Researchers said their results showed promise in the approach of blood screenings for cancer, but noted further “clinical development” was needed.
(snip)

[phylny]

1. Ovarian cancer detection is huge.

If I'm remembering right, it's one of those that's usually detected at a later stage and therefore is harder to treat.

Science is spectacular.