Detecting Cancer Before Symptoms? Multicancer Early Detection Leads the Way

Progress in cancer diagnostics has been slow. While there has been progress in cancer screening, including new tests like Cologuard for colorectal cancer, improved mammography, and HPV testing for cervical cancer, the only new cancer added to screening since the start of my career is lung cancer. Despite these advancements, only one in six cancers in the U.S. is detected through screening, underscoring the need for significant improvement. This is why the current work to revolutionize and expand screening holds such transformative potential.

After a decades-long career as a physician-scientist, Tomasz (Tom) Beer, MD, let go of the majority of his practice at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) two years ago and joined Exact Sciences, the developer of Cologuard, to move the needle on cancer screening by developing blood-based multicancer early detection (MCED) tests. In this episode of Behind the Breakthroughs, Beer explains the ins and outs of developing MCED tests that can be used to screen people from all walks of life for cancer.

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Produced by Bill Levine

Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein

Music provided by Artem Hramushkin

Audio mixed and mastered by Jason Mack

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