One Test, Multiple Diseases? Low-Cost Blood Test May Help Detect Cancer And Liver Diseases

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have developed an experimental blood test that could potentially help detect several cancers, liver diseases and signs of organ damage. Called MethylScan, the test analyses tiny fragments of cell-free DNA circulating in the bloodstream and looks for patterns that may indicate changes in specific organs. Early research found signals associated with liver, lung, ovarian and stomach cancers, as well as several liver conditions.

The technology focuses on DNA methylation, chemical changes that influence how genes function, rather than looking only for cancer-causing genetic mutations. Cell-free DNA is released into the bloodstream as cells naturally die, but most of the DNA comes from healthy blood cells, making disease-related fragments difficult to identify. The UCLA researchers developed a method using specialised enzymes to remove much of the unmethylated DNA, enriching the sample for methylated DNA associated with solid organs.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, analysed blood samples from 1,061 people, including patients with several cancers, liver diseases, benign lung nodules and healthy participants. Researchers used machine-learning algorithms to interpret the complex methylation patterns. At 98 per cent specificity, MethylScan detected about 63 per cent of cancers across all stages, while detection for early-stage cancers was around 55 per cent.

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The results were particularly encouraging among people considered at high risk of liver cancer, including those with cirrhosis or hepatitis B infection. In this group, the test detected nearly 80 per cent of liver cancer cases, with specificity slightly above 90 per cent. Researchers also found that the technology could distinguish between different liver conditions, including viral hepatitis and metabolic-associated liver disease, with an accuracy of about 85 per cent.

Another potential advantage is that MethylScan may provide clues about the tissue from which an abnormal DNA signal originated. This could eventually help doctors determine which organ should be examined after a positive blood-test result. However, the test cannot by itself confirm cancer or another disease. A suspected positive result would still need to be followed by appropriate diagnostic procedures such as imaging, biopsy or other clinical assessments.

The researchers stressed that larger prospective clinical trials will be necessary to establish how well MethylScan performs in real-world screening populations. The findings point to the possibility of a broader blood-based screening approach that could detect multiple diseases through a single test, but the technology remains under research. Its potential affordability and ability to identify disease-related signals from different organs could make it an area of continued investigation in early disease detection.

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