Could Increased Access to Liquid Biopsy Lead to Earlier Cancer Detection?

New genetic analysis technologies may enable earlier detection and better outcomes for patients with colorectal cancer.

The American Cancer Society recently published a study that suggests that colorectal cancer is on the rise in young people. The study estimates that, in 2023 alone, more than 153,000 people in the U.S. could be diagnosed with this type of cancer, with 13% under the age of 50. Early detection is key for all cancers, but particularly for colorectal, as there are high odds of survival if treated before the disease progresses. New detection methods, such as liquid biopsies, may offer quicker results with a less invasive approach, which could potentially lead to better outcomes for patients.

Liquid Biopsy as a Potential Solution for Early Detection

Doctors can use liquid biopsy to determine if colorectal cancer may be present in the blood, after which the patient would then be advised to undergo additional testing, such as a colonoscopy, to quickly determine next steps before the disease has the opportunity to progress further. These initial biopsy tests, however, can be cost prohibitive for many patients.

That is why Dr. Francis Barany, professor of microbiology and immunology at Weill Cornell Medicine, is focused on developing cancer detection assays that work on either dPCR or qPCR machines. As these platforms are more widely available and the tests more cost-effective, such an assay would make the liquid biopsy tests more accessible to a larger number of patients.

“I believe that cancer is a disease that affects people around the world, and that we should be treating and helping people no matter where they come from or their income level,” Dr. Barany said.

Although this technology is in the early stages of clinical research, scientists like Dr. Barany are working on applying it to multiple types of cancer, such as pancreatic and ovarian cancers, which can be difficult to detect without complex and expensive biopsies. Dr. Barany and his team are hopeful that implementing liquid biopsy into regular practice may be part of the solution.

Closing the Gap in Cancer Care

Beyond his own research, Dr. Barany would like to see low-cost, highly-scalable technologies and liquid biopsy solutions be made available to people who are suffering from cancer all over the world. Researching new testing methods on equipment that is easily attainable will help science close this continuously growing inequality gap through the adoption of lifesaving diagnostics tools.

Despite the many roadblocks that the cancer community faces, inspiration remains alive and well in the scientific community.

“The opportunity to be part of a culture – part of a group of people – that are working very hard and working together to solve diseases which are a scourge on mankind, humankind, that’s really inspiring,” Dr. Barany said. “I have the opportunity to get up in the morning and say ‘well, maybe today we’ll do something that moves the process of diagnosing and treating cancers a little bit forward.”

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