Early detection has the potential to reduce cancer mortality, but an effective screening test must demonstrate asymptomatic cancer detection years before conventional diagnosis in a longitudinal study. In the Taizhou Longitudinal Study (TZL), 123,115 healthy subjects provided plasma samples for long-term storage and were then monitored for cancer occurrence. Here we report the preliminary results of PanSeer, a noninvasive blood test based on circulating tumor DNA methylation, on TZL plasma samples from 605 asymptomatic individuals, 191 of whom were later diagnosed with stomach, esophageal, colorectal, lung or liver cancer within four years of blood draw. We also assay plasma samples from an additional 223 cancer patients, plus 200 primary tumor and normal tissues. We show that PanSeer detects five common types of cancer in 88% (95% CI: 80-93%) of post-diagnosis patients with a specificity of 96% (95% CI: 93-98%), We also demonstrate that PanSeer detects cancer in 95% (95% CI: 89-98%) of asymptomatic individuals who were later diagnosed, though future longitudinal studies are required to confirm this result. These results demonstrate that cancer can be non-invasively detected up to four years before current standard of care.

The effect of injection of a cholecystokinetic agent, Ceruletide, was compared with that of the fatty meal following a single dose of Biloptin, and Biloptin with Solubiloptin, in regard to efficiency of gall-bladder contraction, cystic and common bile duct visualisation and side effects. In terms of gall-bladder contraction and ductal delineation no advantage was found from giving Ceruletide or Solubiloptin. Gall-bladder contraction occurred more quickly after Ceruletide than after a fatty meal, with corresponding earlier duct delineation, although the gall bladder was completely emptied of contrast medium in a significant proportion of Ceruletide cases. The incidence of abdominal pain was significantly greater after Ceruletide than after a fatty meal. Because Ceruletide requires an intramuscular injection and has no significant advantage over the fatty meal in regard to gall-bladder contraction and ductal delineation, its use in cholecystography is unjustified. A morning dose of Solubiloptin following Biloptin the previous evening offers no advantage over the Biloptin and fatty meal regimen.

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