Israeli blood test could make lung-cancer detection faster, more accessible

The technology identifies a chemical “fingerprint” associated with cancer cells by analyzing fragments of DNA released into the bloodstream. Pesach Benson/TPS-IL Israeli scientists have developed a blood test that can detect lung cancer without DNA sequencing, potentially offering a faster and less expensive tool to complement existing imaging methods, Tel Aviv University announced on Monday. “Our goal is to make blood tests for cancer diagnosis more accessible, simpler and less expensive without compromising accuracy,” said Professor Yuval Ebenstein of the university’s School of Chemistry. “We have developed a new approach that does not require genetic sequencing but instead identifies the tumor’s chemical ‘fingerprint’ with light, using a technology that can be implemented in standard clinical laboratories.” Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Diagnosis currently relies heavily on CT scans, which can identify suspicious areas but also produce many findings that ultimately prove benign.