Scientists at UCLA have developed a new type of blood test that could make it easier and cheaper to detect cancer and other diseases early.
The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that this test can find signs of several cancers and liver diseases by studying tiny pieces of DNA in the blood.
Detecting cancer early is very important. When cancer is found at an early stage, treatment is often more successful, and people have a much better chance of survival. However, many current tests are expensive, complicated, or only focus on one type of cancer at a time.
This new method, called MethylScan, takes a different approach. Instead of looking for specific gene mutations, it studies a process called DNA methylation. Methylation refers to small chemical marks on DNA that control how genes are turned on or off. These patterns can change when cells become unhealthy or cancerous.
Every day, billions of cells in the human body die and release their DNA into the bloodstream. This DNA is known as cell-free DNA. Because it comes from different organs, it carries information about what is happening throughout the body. This makes it a powerful source of health information.
The challenge is that most of this DNA comes from normal blood cells, which can hide the signals from cancer or damaged organs. To solve this problem, the UCLA team developed a way to remove much of this background DNA. They used special enzymes to cut away DNA that is not useful, leaving behind the more informative signals from organs.
This step makes the test both more accurate and less expensive. It reduces the amount of data needed for analysis, which lowers the cost significantly compared to traditional methods.
To test the method, researchers analyzed blood samples from over 1,000 people. These included patients with different types of cancer, such as liver, lung, ovarian, and stomach cancer, as well as people with liver diseases and healthy individuals.
The results were promising. The test correctly detected about 63% of cancers overall and around 55% of early-stage cancers. It also performed very well in detecting liver cancer in high-risk patients, identifying nearly 80% of cases.
Another important feature of the test is that it can show where in the body the problem is coming from. This is known as identifying the tissue of origin. This information helps doctors decide what follow-up tests or scans are needed.
The test was also able to tell the difference between types of liver disease. It correctly classified about 85% of cases, suggesting it could reduce the need for more invasive procedures like biopsies.
Although the results are encouraging, the researchers note that larger studies are needed before the test can be widely used. Real-world testing will help confirm how well it works in different populations.
Looking at the findings, this study shows strong potential for improving early disease detection. The approach is innovative because it focuses on methylation patterns instead of rare genetic mutations. This makes the test more practical and possibly more affordable.
However, the accuracy is not yet perfect, especially for early-stage cancers. Missing some cases could still be a concern. More research is needed to improve sensitivity and confirm long-term reliability.
Overall, this study represents an important step toward a future where a single blood test could check for multiple diseases at once. If successful, it could make early detection more accessible and help save many lives.
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Source: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
