A blood test that whispers 'the cancer is back' months before any scan can see it

For someone who has had early-stage lung cancer removed, the months after treatment are a waiting game played between scans. A team at NYU Langone Health in New York, led by pathologist Matija Snuderl, has shown a kinder way to watch: a blood test that reads the unique genetic fingerprint of a patient's own tumour and hunts for traces of it circulating in the blood. In their study, published in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, a positive result flagged the cancer's return months before imaging could see anything, while a clear result lined up strongly with lasting remission. Surgeon Harvey Pass puts it simply: he wants to know as soon as possible — and now 'as soon as possible' is much sooner.

SDG 3 · Good health and well-being — Mechanism: tech innovation