Abbott has launched an updated version of its Oncodetect blood test, which helps clinicians determine whether cancer remains in patients with solid tumors during or after treatment.
The test can detect tumor DNA at levels 30 times lower than its predecessor, according to an Oct. 26 news release from the company. It is now available but lacks FDA clearance or approval.
The test compares a patient’s blood with the genetic profile of their tumor, obtained from a biopsy or surgical sample, and can be repeated over time to monitor for recurrence.
In patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer, serial testing detected tumor DNA before the cancer returned in all 14 patients who relapsed. In a triple-negative breast cancer study, one blood test taken after surgery identified 90% of patients whose cancer recurred at a distant site within five years.
In data presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress, held Oct. 23-27 in Madrid, the new test improved detection of recurrence within two years by 30 percentage points compared with the first version in patients with stage 2 through 4 colorectal cancer.
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