Scientists Develop New Blood Test That May Detect Cancer Before It Appears on Scans

Discover a new blood test using light and CRISPR to find cancer biomarkers long before scans can. Learn how this sensitive device could revolutionize early lung cancer detection.

Scientists have created a very sensitive blood test that could identify cancer long before it shows up on medical scans. The new device uses light to detect very small amounts of cancer-related molecules in the blood. This offers hope that a simple blood sample might one day show early signs of disease.

When cancer starts to develop, it releases biomarkers into the bloodstream. These can be certain proteins, small fragments of DNA, or other genetic materials. Doctors can use these markers to determine if cancer is present, how advanced it is, or if someone is at a higher risk. However, in the early stages, these substances are so small that standard lab tests often fail to detect them.

The research was published in the journal Optica.

Cancer Detecting Techniques

A research team led by Han Zhang at Shenzhen University in China developed a sensor to address this issue. Their system uses specially shaped DNA structures, tiny light-emitting particles called quantum dots, and CRISPR gene-editing technology. These components together enable the sensor to detect very faint biological signals through a technique called second harmonic generation.

New Tests

Unlike most current tests, this method does not use chemical amplification to strengthen weak signals. Instead, it directly detects biomarkers. The system operates on the surface of a thin semiconductor material known as molybdenum disulfide. Carefully designed DNA nanostructures position the quantum dots precisely, enhancing the light signal. When CRISPR identifies a specific cancer-related molecule, it cuts nearby DNA strands, leading to a noticeable change in the light signal that can be measured.

Cancer Treatment

In tests, the device successfully detected a lung cancer biomarker called miR-21 in blood samples from patients. It was able to find very small amounts while disregarding similar molecules.

If this technology is further developed, it could enable doctors to screen for cancers such as lung cancer before tumours are visible on CT scans. It might also help track treatment effectiveness through routine blood tests. Researchers now aim to create a smaller, portable version of the device for everyday clinical use.