American researchers develop a new blood test that detects cancer in its early stages.

 Researchers at the University of Chicago have developed a new blood test that detects colorectal cancer in its early stages, with an accuracy of up to 95 percent.

A study published in the journal Nature Biotechnology reported that the test relies on using deoxyribonucleic acid (RNA) instead of DNA to detect genetic changes associated with cancer.

The reliance on cell-free RNA (cfRNA), which reflects the direct genetic activity of cells, is due to the difficulty in accurately detecting early stages of cancer due to the low amount of DNA secreted by tumor cells after death.

The new test relies on analyzing a simple blood sample to detect cancer symptoms, unlike traditional biopsies, which require removing a piece of tissue. This presents challenges for early detection due to the small amount of cancer cell DNA in the blood during the early stages of the disease.

The research team focused on studying RNA modifications, which are chemical changes that improve its stability and act as stable indicators of biological activity, regardless of the amount of RNA in the sample. The researchers also discovered that this analysis also includes the RNA of gut microbes, whose activity changes in response to cancer.

The team was able to achieve higher sensitivity for early detection of the disease by monitoring the RNA modifications of these microbes.

These findings open promising prospects for developing non-invasive, more sensitive, and effective detection methods for monitoring cancer in its early stages, increasing the chances of successful treatment.