A simple blood test can help detect cancer in patients with non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, pain or weight loss, thanks to a protein signature that could be linked to a cancer diagnosis
https://news.ki.se/blood-test-can-help-identify-cancer-in-patients-with-non-specific-symptoms
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> Using proteomics, a method for large-scale protein analysis, the levels of 1,463 different proteins in plasma were measured. The researchers identified a specific combination of proteins, known as a protein signature, that could be linked to a cancer diagnosis.
> The researchers then developed a model that can distinguish patients with cancer from those with other conditions, such as inflammatory, autoimmune or infectious diseases, with high precision.
> The researchers emphasise that the method should not replace imaging diagnostics or biopsies, but rather serve as a support for prioritising which patients should be investigated further.
[Plasma protein profiling predicts cancer in patients with non-specific symptoms | Nature Communications](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-67688-3)
My dad has been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, missed at earlier stages despite him doing screenings (75% specificity so 25% false negatives). His symptoms are basically nonexistent, it was only found due to a haemorrhoid rupturing and resulting imaging. Most colon cancer is diagnosed at stage 3 and 4, hopefully this can save a lot of livesÂ
Elizabeth Holmes is this you?Â