Multi-Cancer Early Detection Tests: New Breakthrough?

Karena Peterson, 9/18/24

Pancreatic cancer is known to be an extremely deadly form, with the 5-year survival rate standing at an incredibly low 13% for all stages combined. This is due to multiple factors, such as the cancer’s aggressiveness, the late diagnosis, and, the absence of effective screening tools. So what if there was a way, some sort of test perhaps, that could effectively screen for pancreatic cancer? What if, this test could be used to detect multiple types of cancer? How many lives could be saved? With the development of Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) tests, these possibilities are starting to become a reality. And, as a plus, they can do it all with just a blood sample. 

Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) tests are a type of liquid biopsy that uses a sample of blood to identify proteins, pieces of DNA, or other biological markers that would be released by a tumor cell, therefore screening patients for potential cancer. By using machine-learning algorithms, these tests can also identify the organ or location likely to have the cancer. Currently, there are around 20 tests in development, able to screen for 2-50+ tumor types. 

It’s important to note that these tests cannot diagnose cancer and its many forms, but rather, screen for them. While screening is comparatively simple, it only recognizes potential cancer, while diagnosing is a much more convoluted process. 

While other screening methods do currently exist, such as physical exams, imaging, laboratory tests, genetic tests, and direct observational tests, it is apparent that MCED tests have many benefits that make their worth. They’re non-invasive, only requiring a blood sample (unlike other biopsies, which require the removal of the tissue for testing). MCED screenings are also promising in regard to cancers without current effective tests, such as pancreatic (as mentioned above), ovarian, and prostate. And again, thanks to specific algorithms, these tests are capable of narrowing down or identifying the probable source of the biomarkers. Finally, Multi-Cancer Early Detection tests have promising trials, with early data showing it’s uncommon to have false positives, alluding to their potential accuracy. 

Of course, like many other medical progressions, these are not without their cons. They have not been covered by large-scale clinical trials yet, which limits the information available. Furthermore, researchers are unsure if the tests can pick up on early-stage tumors that may release too few biological markers for the tests to recognize. Even on the legal side, there are issues. MCED tests are not yet covered by insurance or have FDA approval (though they can still be ordered by doctors; these are under a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) waiver.) Finally, the impact these will have on health disparities is unclear. While the tests are still very promising and useful, these conflicts should still be considered moving forward.

Multi-Cancer Early Detection tests are still in development. Should they become a common option for cancer screening, they still will not replace other screening tests, but act as a supplement to current screening processes. Yet, these tests are very promising and hold the potential to use their cancer-detecting processes to further the medical field’s ability to find early cancer. These tests will hopefully be a great step in the right direction. 

Sources:

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/screening/multi-cancer-early-detection-tests.html 

https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/what-are-multi-cancer-early-detection--mced--tests--and-should-you-get-one.h00-159621012.html 

https://www.thelancet.com/article/S1470-2045(23)00277-2/fulltext 

Biopsy: Types of biopsy procedures used to diagnose cancer - Mayo Clinic 

Why Is Pancreatic Cancer So Deadly? | Moffitt

Pancreatic Cancer Facts - Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research