New $60 Blood Test Detects Lung Cancer Without Costly DNA Sequencing

What happened

Researchers at Tel Aviv University and collaborators developed a blood test that reads chemical methylation patterns on circulating DNA. In a 103-person proof-of-concept study, it identified stage 2-4 lung cancer with 93.1% sensitivity and 90.3% specificity, using fluorescent labeling and microarray scanning rather than next-generation sequencing. The test costs about $60 and takes 2-3 days.

Why it matters

The approach could complement low-dose CT screening by helping clarify which suspicious nodules need follow-up, and may eventually distinguish tumor subtypes like adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. It also avoids costly sequencing, making blood-based cancer diagnostics easier to deploy. However, the study was small, and performance in stage 1 disease and broader screening populations still needs validation.