A new biotechnology startup, Grail, has developed a revolutionary blood test capable of detecting 50 different cancers using DNA from blood samples, significantly surpassing current screening methods that only focus on five cancers. This innovative method, known as 'liquid biopsy,' enables the detection of cancer through the analysis of shed DNA, enhancing early diagnosis. While the excitement around this technology is considerable, experts caution that mere detection may not lead to significantly improved cancer mortality rates, highlighting the need for understanding the practical implications of such advancements in cancer treatment.
Current medical guidelines have us screening for only five cancers, and one at a time. A new test, from a startup called Grail, has identified fifty cancers, with a remarkably low rate of false positives.
How do tests like this work? Cancer cells, like all cells, shed their DNA into the bloodstream. Now, with new sophisticated technologies, we can detect even a minuscule amount of DNA in the blood.
A process known as a 'liquid biopsy' is a mechanism by which you can look at the DNA that's been shed out of cancer cells somewhere in the body.
Even if you are able to detect cancers, we may not change cancer-mortality rates. My piece in this week's issue really tries to separate the wonder of these incredible technologies from actual practical outcomes.
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