United States: Blood tests might detect as many as half of carcinomas at a treatable stage later, reported the new study.
The seven-cancer MCED blood test could save more lives if performed annually or every other year, researchers reported in the May 8, 2018, issue of BMJ Open, as reported by HealthDay.
Annual and Biennial Testing Could Cut Deaths
“Both annual and biennial MCED screening intervals have the potential to avert deaths associated with late-stage cancers when used in addition to current guideline-based cancer screening,” concluded a research team led by Peter Sasieni, a professor of cancer epidemiology with Queen Mary University of London.
Researchers said that the blood test searches for several types of cancer-specific signals, such as DNA fragments that are released into the blood by tumors.
MCED Complements Existing Screenings
There are only a few screenings today that reliably can detect cancer among individuals who are at high risk, such as breast, colon, cervical, and lung cancers, types of cancers listed, researchers stated.
Blood testing provides an opportunity to detect dozens of various types of cancer by examining the levels of cancer markers in people’s blood.
To determine the usefulness of a blood test in regular screening for cancer, the researchers reviewed the data from a previous clinical trial that employed the blood test to diagnose cancer.
Analysis identified that blood testing enhanced early diagnosis of a broad range of cancers.
Annual blood testing was found to be associated with 49% fewer late-stage cancer diagnoses and 21% fewer deaths after five years than standard cancer screening, according to findings.
Researchers added that the blood test, which is administered every other year, diagnosed 39% fewer late-stage cases and had 17% fewer deaths in the following five years.
Early Detection: A Game-Changer for Aggressive Cancers
In cancer patients diagnosed with an aggressive, rapidly growing cancer, blood tests have the potential of preventing between 14% and 21% of deaths within five years, a study reveals.
“Based on the performance characteristics from a case control study, both annual and biennial screening with an MCED test have the potential to intercept 31% to 49% of cancers at stage 1-2 that would otherwise present at stage 3-4,” researchers estimate.
“Of these, approximately equal numbers would be detected at stage 1 and stage 2,” they added.
Real-World Impact Still Depends on Adoption
Researchers noted that these are optimistic estimates based on full compliance with screening and test schedules. They also assume that with more early-stage diagnosis, automatically comes a reduction in death rates, as reported by HealthDay.
“The optimal choice of screening interval will depend on assessments of real-world cancer survival and the costs of confirmatory testing after MCED screening,” researchers said.