Blood Screening

Blood screening is simple because doctors and clinics don't need scanners and other machinery to draw blood. What's more, it takes far less time to take a blood test than it does to have a mammogram or CT scan, making it likely that an increased number of people will get tested. The FDA has already approved a blood test to screen for colorectal cancer and trials are underway for other screening types. Some blood testing trials focus on screening blood for a specific type of cancer (i.e., breast cancer, lung cancer, etc.), while others aim to screen for dozens of cancer types with a single blood draw.

How it Works

Abnormal blood components have always been indicators that something could be wrong with a person's health. Doctors have long known that high protein levels can be an indicator of multiple myeloma, high CA-125 levels are a sign that a person could have ovarian cancer, and an unusually high level of red blood cells is a symptom of kidney cancer. However, doctors today don't order blood tests unless there is something physically wrong with the patient. Moreover, indicators in the blood that may be signs of cancer can also have other causes, including dehydration and inflammatory conditions. This isn't to say that blood screening would be ineffective as a preventative tool. On the contrary, it has a lot of promise. Even so, doctors who use blood screening will likely refer patients with concerning results for further diagnostics based on the specific indicators in the test.

Liquid Biopsy Screening

Liquid biopsy screening is a blood-based screening option for certain types of cancer. Doctors currently use it for patients receiving treatment as it can show the efficacy of the treatment regimen. It's also used after treatment to determine if the cancer has returned. However, it has not been used to screen for cancer in asymptomatic patients, and this is something many doctors and researchers are working to change. A liquid biopsy screening has the potential to catch cancer in its early stages and give doctors the information they need to map out a custom treatment regimen for patients. The main challenge researchers face is developing liquid biopsy screening to the point that it can catch tumor markers at very low levels without picking up indicators of other health conditions.

How it Works

The main difference between blood screening and a liquid biopsy is that a blood screening analyzes the make-up of the blood while a liquid biopsy looks for two specific markers inside the blood: circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). Circulating tumor cells are bits of a tumor that break off and travel via the bloodstream to another organ in the body; this is how many cancers metastasize and spread. Circulating tumor DNA, on the other hand, are dead tumor cells that a tumor sheds as it grows; these cells break down into the bloodstream but can be detected via a liquid biopsy screening. With the results of a liquid biopsy, a doctor could be able to tell what type of tumor a person has without having to perform invasive biopsy surgery.

AI in Cancer Screening

There are many approaches to using AI as a cancer screening tool to detect cancer cells in their earliest stages. Many researchers are experimenting with pairing AI with blood screening or liquid biopsy screening. Others are focused on using AI to improve the efficacy of traditional screening tools such as mammograms and CT scans. Still others are looking for ways to use AI without other medical interventions. Artificial intelligence can also be an effective tool in helping doctors identify the best treatment options for patients, monitor the progress of cancer treatments, and help patients better understand their cancer treatment regimen. The technology has a lot of potential, especially if researchers can find ways to eliminate AI's inherent biases that could skew results for people from certain ethnic backgrounds.

How it Works

Scans are effective in catching certain types of cancer in their early stages, but not all. What's more, there is always an element of human error. AI has the potential to increase the accuracy of a diagnosis and pinpoint cancers in their earliest stages, before a doctor would be able to notice positive results on a scan. Alternatively, some researchers are seeing how AI can be used with blood or liquid biopsy testing to accurately differentiate between people who have cancer and people who have abnormal results caused by less serious conditions. Other universities and hospitals are working to develop AI tools that could analyze a person's medical records and determine that person's risk of developing cancer within a few years' time.

Cancer screening trials play an important role in helping medical companies, doctors, and researchers develop new tools to catch cancer in its earliest stages. The information gathered from test subjects can show which tools work and which need additional tweaking. Trials also help researchers learn about how their tools interact with people of different genders, ages, and ethnic backgrounds to provide equitable treatment options for people from all walks of life. Furthermore, screening can also identify potential problems in a safe, clinical setting. While medical experts have made huge strides of progress in detecting and treating cancers, trial volunteers also have a vital role to play in helping researchers determine how well their tools and technologies will work in a real-world setting.