Researchers have developed a blood test that could accurately detect up to 50 types of cancers, and some of these detections could be even before the symptoms appear. The test would help physicians detect the origin or the source of cancer within the body explain the researchers from the European Society of Oncology. The study titled, “Sensitive and specific multi-cancer detection and localization using methylation signatures in cell-free DNA,” was published in the latest issue of the journal Annals of Oncology.

Sensitive and specific multi-cancer detection and localization using methylation signatures in cell-free DNA. Image Credit: Roman Zaiets

The researchers noted that this new test has a 0.7 percent false-positive rate for cancer detection and soon could be part of the cancer screening programs in different nations. They found that 96 percent of the time, the test could predict the tissue from which cancer had started, and the accuracy rate was 93 percent.