New blood-based test could detect all lung cancer types

Exact Sciences and the Mayo Clinic recently collaborated on a blood-based lung cancer test that researchers say has shown high accuracy for detecting all stages of lung cancer.

“These results reveal an opportunity to detect lung cancer from a simple blood draw,” said Kevin Conroy, chairman and CEO of Exact Sciences, in a news release. “Our collaboration with Mayo Clinic is efficiently identifying biomarkers for additional cancer applications on the same technology platform as Cologuard.”

Exact Sciences (Madison, Wis.) currently offers a non-invasive colon cancer screening called the Cologuard. It is used for the qualitative detection of colorectal neoplasia associated DNA markers and also detects the presence of occult hemoglobin in human stool, according to the Cologuard patient brochure. Colon cancer affects every 41 people out of 100,000 in the U.S. but has seen a decline in new cases over the last 20 years, according to the National Cancer Institute. Still, there could be a growing need for better screening because of the mysterious rise in colon and rectal cancer rates among young people.

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