Detection and localization of surgically resectable cancers with a multi-analyte blood test

Abstract

Earlier detection is key to reducing cancer deaths. Here, we describe a blood test that can detect eight common cancer types through assessment of the levels of circulating proteins and mutations in cell-free DNA. We applied this test, called CancerSEEK, to 1005 patients with nonmetastatic, clinically detected cancers of the ovary, liver, stomach, pancreas, esophagus, colorectum, lung, or breast. CancerSEEK tests were positive in a median of 70% of the eight cancer types. The sensitivities ranged from 69 to 98% for the detection of five cancer types (ovary, liver, stomach, pancreas, and esophagus) for which there are no screening tests available for average-risk individuals. The specificity of CancerSEEK was greater than 99%: only 7 of 812 healthy controls scored positive. In addition, CancerSEEK localized the cancer to a small number of anatomic sites in a median of 83% of the patients.

Molecular imaging and molecular diagnostics: two sides of the same coin?

“…However, depending on the tumour type the detection rates ranged between 30% and 95%. Particularly in early stage tumours, the detection rate of about 40% was only limited [10].…”

Potential of circulating biomarkers in liquid biopsy diagnostics

“…Studies have suggested its potential for early cancer detection and cancer recurrence prediction. In a translational study by Cohen etal ., the combination of several biomarkers including ctDNA analysis provided sensitivities ranging from 69 to 98 for five different cancer types with specificity greater than 99 [3]. However, similar to CTCs, ctDNA exists in trace amounts, from less than 0.1 to more than 10 of the total circulating free DNA [4].…”

DNA Biosensors and Biomarkers to Cancer Detection

“…4 The last approximation cancer SEEK, which combine genetic markers and protein markers for detection up to five different types of cancer (ovary, liver, stomach, pancreas and esophagus), and estimate the origin of tumor cells in a significant proportion of cases. 5 Additionally, have been studied miRNA, markers with better capacity to predict cancer than DNA or mRNA since a single molecule of miRNA has the capacity to regulate more than one hundred mRNA, with which they have orders of magnitude much greater in terms of the information about the prognosis that they provide us. Currently different molecular biology tools had permitted to develop molecular tumor signatures based on mRNA , miRNA and DNA 6 that can help in tumor classification, subtype and ability to respond to certain therapies nowadays several of these are used in clinical practice.…”