A study in Cancer Medicine found that a new blood test is more sensitive than a standard carcinoembryonic antigen test when identifying colorectal cancer recurrence.
Here's what you need to know:
1. The new test, developed by Bridgewater, N.J.-based Clinical Genomics, is a two-gene circulating tumor DNA blood test for post-surgical monitoring of colorectal cancer recurrence.
2. The test measures the presence of BCAT1 and IKZF1 gene methylation, a chemical modification associated with tumor growth.
3. The study found that the two-gene circulating tumor DNA blood test identified twice the number of recurrence cases as carcinoembryonic antigen testing.
"Given that at least 30 percent of patients in remission from CRC following initial treatment will develop recurrence, improved surveillance methods that accurately detect recurrence are essential for improving outcomes for patients," a Clinical Genomics press release said.