New Blood Test: New blood test may detect head and neck cancer 10 years earlier

New Blood Test: Researchers have shown that early detection of cancer increases the likelihood of successful treatment and patients may require less rigorous treatment. Learn what they said about the new blood test.

New Blood Test: Scientists have developed a new blood test that could help detect head and neck cancer up to 10 years before symptoms appear. Researchers at Harvard-affiliated Mass General Brigham and Women's Hospital published the study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The researchers explained that early detection of cancer increases patients' chances of successful treatment, and they may face less difficult and shorter treatment times. This test could help detect cancer earlier and save lives in the future.

New liquid biopsy test developed

Studies have found that human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for approximately 70 percent of head and neck cancer cases in the United States, making it the most common cancer caused by the virus. Despite this, there is no screening test available for HPV-associated head and neck cancer. To address this issue, researchers have developed a new liquid biopsy test called HPV-DeepSeek. This test can detect HPV-associated head and neck cancer early, meaning it can be detected before symptoms appear.

This technique will help detect cancer in its early stages.

"Our study shows for the first time that we can accurately detect HPV-associated cancers many years in advance in people without symptoms," said Daniel L. Faden, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and lead author of the study. This discovery could greatly improve cancer detection and treatment. "We hope that technologies like HPV-DeepSeek will help detect cancers at earlier stages, leading to better treatment and improved quality of life for patients," he added.

PC: Prabhat Khabar