Early Tumor Detection: New Blood Test Shows High Accuracy
Revolutionary Blood Test Detects Cancer Early with Unprecedented Accuracy
cambridge, UK – A groundbreaking blood test, developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge and the Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), promises to revolutionize cancer detection and treatment selection. The innovative test identifies early-stage tumors with an extraordinary 78% accuracy and a remarkable 0% false positive rate, utilizing a novel approach that analyzes amino acid concentrations in plasma.
Unlocking Diagnostic Signals Through Amino Acid analysis
The core of this pioneering test lies in its ability to detect subtle changes in the plasma concentrations of specific amino acids. These amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, are crucial for cellular function. The research team, led by Professor Gonçalo Bernardes, focused on amino acids that form disulfide bonds, a critical structural element in many proteins.
“We are looking at the building blocks of proteins, and how their levels change in the presence of cancer,” explained Bernardes. “These changes are incredibly subtle, but our method is sensitive enough to pick them up.”
The researchers subjected blood samples to fluorogenic reactions, which emit fluorescence when exposed to light.This process allowed them to precisely quantify the concentration of each amino acid. Subsequently, an artificial intelligence tool, specifically machine learning, was employed to identify complex patterns within these concentrations. These patterns, when translated, serve as diagnostic signals for the presence of cancer.
In trials involving 170 patients, this technique successfully identified 78% of cancers with a zero percent false positive rate, a significant achievement in early cancer detection.
Simplicity and Accessibility: A Key to Widespread Adoption
Professor bernardes highlighted the practical advantages of the test, emphasizing its ease of use. “The test is easy to use, requiring only a small blood sample and the use of simple reagents that can be found in any hospital,” he stated. This accessibility is crucial for its potential widespread adoption in clinical settings.
To facilitate the diagnostic process, the team is developing a dedicated platform that will analyze the collected data. This platform, powered by advanced algorithms, will streamline the interpretation of the amino acid concentration patterns, making the diagnostic process efficient and reliable.
Beyond Cancer: Identifying Other Diseases and Predicting Treatment Response
The implications of this research extend far beyond early cancer detection. The analysis of samples from patients with various diseases has revealed that the identified amino acid signals are distinct for different conditions.
“It is very important to note,” Bernardes emphasized, “that by analysing samples from patients with other diseases, we have found that the signals are different. For example, the immune signals of a person with SARS-Covid are different from the signals of a person with cancer, as are the signals of different types of cancer and even cancer in its different stages. We can identify all of that with our test.”
This capability to differentiate between various diseases, including different types and stages of cancer, offers a significant advantage over existing diagnostic methods.
Moreover, the unique signals identified for each cancer type provide invaluable information regarding a patient’s potential response to specific treatments. The study reported that the test predicted with 100% accuracy whether a patient would respond to anti-metastatic treatment.In cases where a positive response was predicted, the accuracy remained high at 87%. This predictive power positions the test as a vital tool for precision medicine, enabling clinicians to select the most effective treatments for individual patients.
Future Directions and Commercialization
While the initial sample size of 170 patients has yielded promising results, the researchers acknowledge the need for more extensive data to finalize the commercial development of the test. For this purpose, two clinical trials are currently underway in the UK, supported by the UK’s National Health service. Additional trials are also being conducted in countries such as the united States and China.
The commercialization of this groundbreaking technology is planned through proteotype Ltd, a spin-off company co-founded by Professor Bernardes and other members of the research team in Cambridge. This venture aims to bring the revolutionary blood test from the laboratory to clinics worldwide, offering a new era in early disease detection and personalized treatment.
Source: Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO)
Journal reference: Tang, C., et al. (2025) Immunodiagnostic plasma amino acid residue biomarkers detect cancer early and predict treatment response. Nature Communications*. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61685-2.