Study Aims To Discover How Blood Tests Perform In Comparison To More Conventional Cancer Screening

The Washington Post (7/15, Johnson) reports that for years, medical professionals have thought that “one day, a simple blood test will detect nascent cancers – allowing” physicians “to intervene when tumors may be easier to treat.” According to the Post, “start-up companies have developed different versions of these ‘multi-cancer early detection’ tests designed to flag the errant genetic signatures of more than a dozen cancers.” So far, “turning these innovative technologies into usable medical tools for the broader population has been complex.” However, “a study recruiting subjects this summer, funded by the National Cancer Institute, seeks to begin to do that by answering basic questions about how the tests perform in comparison to more conventional cancer screening.”