Today, the follow-up of cancer patients often involves repeated X-ray examinations and tumor biopsies. But with the help of new technology, a pilot project wants to make a significantly more efficient method available to all patients: by submitting blood samples at the health center.
The blood samples will in turn be analyzed for small fragments of DNA that tumors release into the bloodstream, so-called circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), according to Johan Gómez de la Torre.
Relevant for all cancers
In addition to avoiding more extensive procedures such as biopsies, the aim of the project is also to be able to introduce new treatments more easily and earlier. The assessment is that long-term cost savings for healthcare will be significant. The project is being carried out at Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm and is funded by the Swedish Cancer Foundation.
According to Johan Gómez de la Torre, the technology will be relevant for all forms of cancer in the future.
There is nothing linked to any specific diagnosis here. In certain diagnostic areas, research has progressed further, and that is where this will be introduced first, he says, adding that it could happen within "a few years."
Which method is best suited?
How the method will be designed is a question for the project team. CtDNA analysis is already used in research and clinical studies, but in healthcare, a general method needs to be found that is robust, patient-safe and sufficiently sensitive - and that can be done at a reasonable cost.
There are several different methods to achieve the same analytical results. The question is which of these methods is best suited for scaling up and use in healthcare, Gómez de la Torre says.
