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Cancer

Early Cancer Detection Possible Years Before Clinical Diagnosis

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Research published online in Cancer Discovery suggests that circulating tumor DNA can be detected more than three years prior to a clinical cancer diagnosis, potentially providing a window for earlier management and treatment.

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, led by Nickolas Papadopoulos, Ph.D., analyzed serial plasma samples from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study and found that eight out of 52 participants scored positively with a multicancer early detection (MCED) test at the index time point. Follow-up analysis revealed that four of six participants had the same mutations detected by the MCED test in earlier plasma samples collected 3.1 to 3.5 years prior to clinical diagnosis. These mutations were present at lower mutant allele fractions, indicating the potential for earlier detection.

Key Takeaways:

  • Circulating tumor DNA can be detected more than three years prior to a clinical cancer diagnosis.
  • The multicancer early detection (MCED) test was positive in eight out of 52 participants at the index time point.
  • Four of six participants had the same mutations detected by the MCED test in earlier plasma samples collected 3.1 to 3.5 years prior to clinical diagnosis.
  • The mutations were present at lower mutant allele fractions in the earlier plasma samples.
  • This early detection could potentially provide management with a more favorable outcome.
  • The study's findings highlight the need to determine the appropriate clinical follow-up after a positive test for such cancers.
  • Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

Statistics:

  • 52 participants were included in the study, with eight scoring positively with the MCED test at the index time point.
  • Four of six participants had the same mutations detected by the MCED test in earlier plasma samples collected 3.1 to 3.5 years prior to clinical diagnosis.
  • The mutant allele fractions of the detected mutations were reportedly 8.6- to 79-fold lower in the earlier samples.
  • The study was conducted by researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Sources:

  • Wang, Y., et al. (2025). Detection of Cancers Years Before Their Clinical Diagnosis. Cancer Discovery, online May 22.
  • Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. (n.d.). Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study.

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