New blood test detects pancreatic cancer with 87% accuracy

Researchers from the United States, China, Korea, and Japan have developed a new blood test capable of detecting pancreatic cancer in its early stages with an 87 percent accuracy rate. The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, utilizes a combination of three biological markers to identify the disease.

Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to diagnose early because the pancreas is located deep within the body, often making tumors undetectable during routine physical examinations. Patients frequently remain asymptomatic until the cancer has grown significantly or metastasized to other organs.

Channing Der, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, noted that the results are “very impressive and promising,” stating that the test far exceeds the limitations of the current gold standard, the CA19-9 blood marker. Early detection could provide medical professionals with critical time to intervene before the disease becomes more invasive and difficult to treat.