Should this method of detection become effectively viable, it could be a game changer in oncology treatment and outcomes, as both toxicity of treatment and outcomes are improved with early detection.

"In summary, cfDNA sequencing of informative methylation patterns detected a broad range of cancer types at metastatic and non-metastatic stages with specificity and sensitivity performance approaching the goal for population-level screening. The pre-specified cancer types identified here account for ∼63% of all estimated cancer deaths.21,27 Clinical validation in intended use populations is ongoing (NCT03085888, NCT03934866) and a study has been initiated that is returning results to health care providers and patients (NCT04241796). These results support the feasibility of employing this targeted methylation analysis of cfDNA in ongoing clinical trials in the intended use population for early cancer detection."