You know the drill - there are certain cancer screenings that you can identify almost immediately: mammograms, colon screenings, Pap tests, and lung cancer screenings for those at high risk of developing the disease. Yet, what about the other various forms of cancer that do not come with routine screening protocols? David Harding, the Senior Vice President of Pipeline Product Management at Abbott, shares how multicancer early detection testing is changing the game with a simple blood draw.
Cancerguard®, a prescription-based test, analyzes for up to 50 cancer types and subtypes. The test analyzes for the presence of methylated DNA fragments from tumors and the proteins released by those tumors. These biomarkers return test results and tell the patient whether cancer signals were detected. This further underlines the importance of undergoing routine cancer screenings regardless of the test results.
Beyond the science behind the Cancerguard® test, there’s the more emotional component to cancer testing: the fear of the testing, the anxiety of potential cancerous diagnoses, and the role of care navigators in assisting cancer patients in taking the next steps in their treatment journey. Additionally, he discusses the challenges of taking a molecular diagnostic test to market, how the test is currently available, and has not yet received FDA approval, and the long-term efforts to fund research and development of the test.
_______________________________________
Early detection can change everything in cancer care. 🧬
David Harding, Senior Vice President of Pipeline Product Management at Abbott, shares how new testing approaches are expanding what’s possible in screening.
For more information about the innovations that are shaping tomorrow's world, head to https://tomorrowsworldtoday.com/
To keep up-to-date with the latest in innovation, technology, sustainability, and more connect with us on social:
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
