Blood Biopsy Brings High Success rate in cancer Detection; Exact Science Announces New Cancer Screening Method

By Qudsia Ibrahim | Jan 11, 2017 | 19:57 PM EST

Blood test is showing a high rate of accuracy and success in diagnosing cancer in patients suffering from several sorts of different cancers. Exact Sciences is coordinating with Mayo Clinic on seven more cancer screening products. This step is taken after DNA stool test was taken for colorectal cancer of nearly 250,000 Americans.

The updates by Exact are getting public on Thursday but the presentation is made public on Monday about the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco. This annual event that draws thousands of scientists and investors is one of the biggest biotech gatherings of the year.

Exact declares that their collaboration with mayo clinic has brought up the remarkable methylation markers for diagnosing major cancers. Seven types of dangerous and common cancers are now detectable by biomarkers.  Further tests for finding out cancerous cells in the liver, lungs and pancreas are going through preliminary studies but for sure they are valid, writes Madison.

Exact is proud to announce that a study of 370 patients, who are diagnosed with cancer in their lungs, will be presented in scientific conference upcoming spring.  Tissue samples of 98.5% of 255 patients showed cancerous nodules and the rest showed no false positive results as they were benign.

Another group of 54 patients got a blood test and 95% of them were the successful detection of cancer. The false positive result showed in 3% patients only. 75 people with pancreatic cyst underwent a biopsy of the fluid and 95% of them were diagnosed with cancer and only 10% were falsely positive in the benign cases.

National Cancer Institute says that liquid biopsy is a breakthrough in the traditional way of cancer diagnosis as it is fast, non-invasive and more accurate. It is able to discover DNA mutations and other changes in genetic material in the blood.

Brian Weinstein who is an analyst with the William Blair & Co. investment firm said that the products of Exact inclusive of their liquid biopsies are "incredibly interesting." This is a cost-effective and very useful for diagnosing the top 10 cancers that are attacking people commonly. 

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