New Tool Could Spot Liver Cancer Early, Upping Survival [Video]

Key Takeaways

A new AI-driven blood test could improve detection of liver cancerThe test looks for abnormal “fusion genes,” and a four-gene panel was up to 91% accurate in detecting liver cancerAccuracy went up to 95% when the test was combined with an existing liver cancer screen

WEDNESDAY, June 19, 2024 (HealthDay News) — A new AI-driven blood test could improve detection of liver cancer, which is one of the most fatal cancers because early diagnosis is difficult.

The test looks for “fusion genes” — two different genes that have become bound together, producing proteins that can lead to cancer.

A test for four specific fusion-gene combinations was 83% to 91% accurate in predicting the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer, researchers reported recently in the American Journal of Pathology.

Accuracy increased to 95% when researchers combined a two fusion-gene search with an existing liver cancer screen that assesses …