A range of cancers could potentially be detected years ahead of symptoms showing thanks to a new blood test. The 'breakthrough' method could "dramatically transform" care, says Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England. The findings will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago this weekend. A trial of around 1,600 people found the non-invasive procedure to identify DNA markers works with up to 90% accuracy, the authors said. The test was used to detect genetic traces of multiple cancers, including pancreatic and ovarian diseases, according to the study. Dr Eric Klein, lead author, from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, told the Daily Telegraph: "This is potentially the holy grail of cancer research, to find cancers that are currently hard to cure at an earlier stage when they are easier to cure, and we hope this test could save many lives. "Most cancers are detected at a late stage, but this 'liquid biopsy' gives us the opportunity to … [Read more...] about New blood test ‘potentially the holy grail of cancer research’
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Blood test could detect cancer YEARS before patient falls ill
0 Have your say A new blood test which scientists say is able to detect certain types of cancer several years before a person falls ill has been hailed as a breakthrough. East Yorkshire lifeguard saves baby's life while on holidayA trial of around 1,600 people found the non-invasive procedure to identify DNA markers works with up to 90% accuracy, the authors said.The test was used to detect genetic traces of multiple cancers, including pancreatic and ovarian diseases, according to the study.The findings will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago this weekend.Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said such advances in medicine could "dramatically transform" care.Dr Eric Klein, lead author, from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, told the Daily Telegraph: "This is potentially the holy grail of cancer research, to find cancers that are currently hard to cure at an earlier stage when they are easier to cure, and we hope … [Read more...] about Blood test could detect cancer YEARS before patient falls ill
New ‘Holy Grail’ blood test can detect 10 cancers at early stages
SCIENTISTS have unveiled a new blood test that can detect ten cancers. Experts say the simple check allows early diagnosis when survival chances are higher. It works by pinpointing DNA that has broken free of a tumour. It was tested on 749 cancer-free patients and 878 with newly diagnosed but untreated cancer. Its top detection rate was 90 per cent for ovarian cancers. It picked out four in five liver tumours, 58 per cent of breast cancers and 59 per cent of lung cancers. Experts believe it may herald near-universal NHS screening and cost between £500 and £1,000. Study leader Dr Eric Klein said: “It is potentially the Holy Grail of cancer research — to find cancers currently hard to cure at an earlier stage when they’re easier to cure.” Dr Klein, of the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, told the American Society of Clinical Oncology: “We hope this test could save many lives.” Cancer Research UK called the work “exciting”. NHS England boss … [Read more...] about New ‘Holy Grail’ blood test can detect 10 cancers at early stages
‘Holy grail’ blood test to detect 10 types of cancer years before symptoms begin
A blood test to detect 10 types of cancer long before they show up in other ways is set to save thousands of lives. The breakthrough, hailed as the “holy grail” of cancer research, opens the door to universal screening. The check can pick up lung, head and neck, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, colorectal, ovarian, pancreatic, liver, oesophageal and breast cancers. In tests it achieved up to 90% accuracy by picking up fragments of DNA released into the blood by fast-growing cancer cells. In some cases it could detect a cancer years before any symptoms show. The simple check could be in use within a few years, but may cost hospitals up to £1,000 a time. The breakthrough is set to be unveiled at the annual conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago. Prof Nicholas Turner, of London’s Institute of Cancer Research, said: “Many cancers are picked up too late. It’s exciting.” … [Read more...] about ‘Holy grail’ blood test to detect 10 types of cancer years before symptoms begin
‘Holy grail’ blood test could detect cancer long before tumours develop
A new blood test able to detect 10 types of cancer years before a person falls ill could become available on the NHS within five years, scientists say. The breakthrough is being hailed as a major step towards the “holy grail” of curing cancer after trials on 1,400 patients found the simple procedure worked with up to 90 per cent accuracy. Experts said the findings could pave the way for an almost universal NHS screening programme that could detect warning signs of disease long before it developed, vastly improving survival chances. Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said such breakthroughs were part of major changes which "would unlock enormous survival gains" across the health service.... Register for free to read this article, or log in to your Telegraph account Register Log in … [Read more...] about ‘Holy grail’ blood test could detect cancer long before tumours develop