New Blood Test Identifies Mutations in Patients With Lung Cancer
According to a study recently published in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, researchers have developed a new blood test that can identify actionable mutations linked with NSCLC. Unlike tissue-based tests, which can take weeks for results to be obtained, this blood test reportedly can be performed quickly, with results available within 72 hours.
More than 1,600 blood samples were tested, and the investigators found high sensitivity and specificity for detecting each type of mutation. And, in most cases, the results of the biopsies and the blood test were similar.
A potential advantage of this blood test is that it can be used in a non-hospital setting, which may benefit physicians and patients in a community setting, who do not have easy access to a larger center or diagnostic facility.
“These data highlight the adoption of mutation testing by the lung cancer community and demonstrate the utility of a centralized laboratory for the evaluation of actionable mutations from blood,” stated Hestia Mellert, Director of Molecular Development at Biodesix, the company that created the test, in a press release.
