Non-invasive blood test to find common cancers early and point to where they start
A non-invasive blood test for multi-cancer detection and determination of tissue of origin preceding overt cancer diagnosis
A tiny-sample blood test looks for cancer-related DNA marks to detect several common cancers before symptoms appear and suggest the organ of origin.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11324174 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
I would give a small blood sample that is tested with a 5hmC‑Seal assay to detect 5‑hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) marks on cell-free DNA, which can signal cancer before it is obvious. The researchers will analyze stored blood samples from the large PLCO screening trial to find 5hmC patterns linked to prostate, lung, colorectal, ovarian, and other common cancers. They will build a multi-cancer detection tool designed to work with very small amounts of DNA and to predict the tissue of origin. If the model works well in these samples, it could be adapted for future screening programs where people could be offered a single blood draw for early detection.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults in typical cancer‑screening age ranges or those at higher risk for prostate, lung, colorectal, or ovarian cancers who can provide a blood sample would be the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with very rare cancers, tumors that do not release detectable 5hmC into blood, or those already diagnosed with advanced metastatic disease are less likely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could enable earlier, minimally invasive detection of multiple cancers and guide focused follow-up testing to reduce late-stage diagnoses.
How similar studies have performed: Other multi-cancer blood tests have shown promising early results, but this 5hmC‑based method is a newer approach tailored to work with very small DNA amounts from stored samples.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- University of Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bissonnette, Bruce Marc — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Bissonnette, Bruce Marc
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.