Daijiworld Media Network - New York
New York, Apr 12: In a major advancement for cancer diagnostics, scientists in the US have developed a cutting-edge method to monitor cancer progression and recurrence using blood tests with greater precision than ever before.
The research, conducted by a team from Weill Cornell Medicine and the New York Genome Center, showcases how whole-genome sequencing—a once costly and complex process—can now be harnessed for practical, real-world cancer monitoring thanks to emerging low-cost technologies.
“This marks a new era in DNA sequencing,” said Dr. Dan Landau, Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. “We’ve used advanced sequencing methods that, until recently, would have been considered far too expensive or complex for clinical application.”
Published in Nature Methods, the study explores an error-correcting sequencing approach that taps into the natural structure of double-stranded DNA. By using a commercial sequencing platform with refined correction techniques, the researchers achieved ultra-deep sequencing coverage. This breakthrough allowed them to detect trace amounts of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the bloodstream with remarkable accuracy.
The implications are significant. This “liquid biopsy” approach—where blood is used instead of tissue for cancer analysis—could transform how doctors detect cancer early, monitor disease progression, and personalize treatment strategies.
“We demonstrated that this method can effectively detect tiny shifts in ctDNA levels among patients with bladder cancer and melanoma,” explained Dr. Alexandre Cheng, a postdoctoral researcher involved in the study. “For instance, we observed rising ctDNA levels in patients whose cancer returned or advanced after treatment, and falling levels in those responding well.”
The team believes this high-sensitivity, low-error method paves the way for routine cancer screening via simple blood draws—a potential game-changer for oncologists and patients alike.
As the cost of genome sequencing continues to drop, such innovations are bringing the medical community closer to reliable, non-invasive early cancer detection, potentially saving countless lives through earlier interventions.