According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 1.9 million people will be diagnosed with cancer in the United States in 2022, with an estimated 609,360 dying as a result of cancer and its complications. These figures could be reduced if healthcare systems implement early screenings. Detecting cancer early, before it starts spreading throughout the body, can save lives.
To prevent cancer-related deaths, healthcare professionals recommend various methods of screening cancer so that necessary treatment can be implemented before cancer progresses. Mammograms, for example, are screening tests used to detect breast cancer.
These tests are critical for people, especially those who have cancer symptoms. However, there is one grim reality about the availability of these tests to the average American: it could cost people a fortune if they do not have proper health insurance.
According to reports, the average cost of a colonoscopy, an examination used to detect colon cancer, in the United States is $2,750, though costs can range from $1,250 to $4,800. These procedures can also cause distress to patients, as several studies have found.
Government Cancer Initiatives
This is primarily why the government has been at the forefront of efforts to put an end to cancer as we know it. On Sept. 12, a White House news release told the general public that the Biden administration had already launched several initiatives to advance the agenda. Multicancer early detection tests, or MCEDs, are one of these initiatives.
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President Joe Biden designated the development of MCED tests as a top priority for the Cancer Moonshot this year, a $1.8 billion federal initiative to lower the cancer death rate and enhance the quality of life for cancer patients and survivors.
This covers potential advancements in early cancer detection, prevention, equity, precision medicine, rare and pediatric cancers, supporting patients and caregivers, and learning from patients.
The government intends to improve access to more opportunities for cancer screening and increase equitable access to cancer early detection through targeted and coordinated programs.
To ensure that these preventative measures are reaching all populations, additional efforts are required to increase access to these cancer-prevention strategies, along with public health campaigns and community health initiatives.
About Multicancer Early Detection Tests
When it comes to a more comfortable way to screen for cancer, MCED tests are specifically designed to be more efficient. How does it work?
According to The Conversation, MCED tests look for trace amounts of tumor DNA in the bloodstream since cells in the body, including tumor cells, shed DNA into the bloodstream when they die. This circulating "cell-free" DNA contains information about the type of tissue from which it originated, as well as whether it is normal or cancerous.
MCED tests differ from existing liquid biopsies in that they attempt to detect cancer in its early stages when there are fewer tumor cells. Giving the patient and doctors more time to prevent cancer from spreading.
Is it effective? A 2020 study looked at the feasibility and safety of incorporating a multicancer blood test into routine clinical care for 10,000 cancer-free women. The blood test detected 26 different types of cancer over a 12-month period. Multicancer blood tests have the exciting potential of detecting many cancer types at an early stage and with minimal invasiveness.
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