We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
LGC Clinical Diagnostics

Download Mobile App




Groundbreaking Blood Test Detects Earliest Signs of Pancreatic Cancer Before Symptoms Appear

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 24 Dec 2024

Pancreatic cancer often remains undetected until it has progressed beyond the pancreas, typically because it presents no noticeable symptoms in its early stages. Consequently, pancreatic cancer has one of the highest mortality rates, with survival rates largely unchanged despite advancements in the treatment of other cancers. Early detection is vital for this type of cancer, as most cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage, limiting treatment options. While new treatment options for pancreatic cancer have emerged, their success still relies heavily on the ability to detect the disease early. Now, a groundbreaking blood test can identify pancreatic cancer at its earliest stages, even before symptoms develop. This test works by detecting tumor-derived cell-free DNA that cancer cells release into the bloodstream. These DNA fragments carry distinct signatures unique to pancreatic cancer, allowing for their identification even in very low concentrations.

The BT-Reveal early pancreatic cancer test, developed by Breakthrough Genomics (Irvine, CA, USA), is the first blood-based test of its kind, offering at-risk individuals the ability to detect pancreatic cancer early without the high costs and side effects associated with MRIs and other diagnostic methods. Powered by patented DNA methylation technology, the test detects the earliest signs of pancreatic cancer in circulating cell-free DNA, often before symptoms manifest. DNA methylation involves the switching on and off of DNA molecules to regulate cellular functions. The test identifies abnormal DNA methylation patterns in the blood, which serve as early indicators of pancreatic cancer. On a molecular level, the test analyzes 59 specific DNA methylation regions (biomarkers) that have been strongly associated with pancreatic cancer.

BT-Reveal is a non-invasive, life-saving test that successfully detects 83% of pancreatic cancers, including those in the early Stage 1 and 2. This blood test offers a convenient biochemical alternative to traditional diagnostic methods, helping to screen for pancreatic cancer without the side effects or logistical challenges associated with imaging techniques. It provides an effective and less invasive way to identify pancreatic cancer, especially in clinical settings where quick and reliable detection is crucial. The test has received the FDA's Breakthrough Device Designation and is currently available for high-risk patients through Breakthrough Genomics.

Related Links:
Breakthrough Genomics

Gold Member
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
Verification Panels for Assay Development & QC
Seroconversion Panels
New
Vaginitis Test
Allplex Vaginitis Screening Assay
New
Dermatophytosis Rapid Diagnostic Kit
StrongStep Dermatophytosis Diagnostic Kit
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get complete access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: The tiny clay-based materials can be customized for a range of medical applications (Photo courtesy of Angira Roy and Sam O’Keefe)

‘Brilliantly Luminous’ Nanoscale Chemical Tool to Improve Disease Detection

Thousands of commercially available glowing molecules known as fluorophores are commonly used in medical imaging, disease detection, biomarker tagging, and chemical analysis. They are also integral in... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The cancer stem cell test can accurately choose more effective treatments (Photo courtesy of University of Cincinnati)

Stem Cell Test Predicts Treatment Outcome for Patients with Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer

Epithelial ovarian cancer frequently responds to chemotherapy initially, but eventually, the tumor develops resistance to the therapy, leading to regrowth. This resistance is partially due to the activation... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: The lab-in-tube assay could improve TB diagnoses in rural or resource-limited areas (Photo courtesy of Kenny Lass/Tulane University)

Handheld Device Delivers Low-Cost TB Results in Less Than One Hour

Tuberculosis (TB) remains the deadliest infectious disease globally, affecting an estimated 10 million people annually. In 2021, about 4.2 million TB cases went undiagnosed or unreported, mainly due to... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: The UV absorbance spectrometer being used to measure the absorbance spectra of cell culture samples (Photo courtesy of SMART CAMP)

Novel UV and Machine Learning-Aided Method Detects Microbial Contamination in Cell Cultures

Cell therapy holds great potential in treating diseases such as cancers, inflammatory conditions, and chronic degenerative disorders by manipulating or replacing cells to restore function or combat disease.... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: The HIV-1 self-testing chip will be capable of selectively detecting HIV in whole blood samples (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Disposable Microchip Technology Could Selectively Detect HIV in Whole Blood Samples

As of the end of 2023, approximately 40 million people globally were living with HIV, and around 630,000 individuals died from AIDS-related illnesses that same year. Despite a substantial decline in deaths... Read more

Industry

view channel
Image: The collaboration aims to leverage Oxford Nanopore\'s sequencing platform and Cepheid\'s GeneXpert system to advance the field of sequencing for infectious diseases (Photo courtesy of Cepheid)

Cepheid and Oxford Nanopore Technologies Partner on Advancing Automated Sequencing-Based Solutions

Cepheid (Sunnyvale, CA, USA), a leading molecular diagnostics company, and Oxford Nanopore Technologies (Oxford, UK), the company behind a new generation of sequencing-based molecular analysis technologies,... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.