Data Suggest Routine Multicancer Early Detection Tests Could Reduce Late-Stage Diagnoses

Routine multicancer early detection (MCED) tests could help oncologists diagnose cancer at earlier stages, allowing for patients to timely care when their disease is moast responsive to treatment, according to data published in Cancer.¹

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States,representing a meaningful public health and economic burden. In 2020, the economic burden of cancer reached $209 billion, and as the US population ages and cancer therapies move further into the future, these costs are expected to rise.¹

Diagnosing cancer in its early stages greatly improves the chances of successful treatment, as late-stage disease and metastasis are far harder to cure.In the US, about half of all cancers are still diagnosed only after they have reached advanced stages.Currently, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends routine screening for only 4 cancer types-breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung-leaving roughly 70% of new diagnoses in cancers for which no screening tests exist.¹

“Our analysis shows that multi-cancer blood tests could be a game changer for cancer control,” said Jagpreet Chhatwal, PhD, the study’s lead author and director of the Institute for Technology Assessment at Massachusetts general Hospital and harvard Medical school.”by detecting cancers earlier-before they spread-these tests could perhaps improve survival and reduce the personal and economic burden of cancer.”²

The research team developed a micros

Multicancer Early Detection Testing May Substantially Reduce Late-Stage Cancer Diagnoses

A new study suggests that multicancer early detection (MCED) testing could substantially reduce the incidence of stage 4 cancer diagnoses, particularly for cancers lacking routine screening programs. The research,published in Cancer on November 10,2025,utilized a 10-year microsimulation model to assess the impact of MCED testing on cancer stage distribution.

The modeling indicated significant declines in late-stage diagnoses for several cancer types. the most pronounced reductions were observed in cervical cancer (83%), liver cancer (74%), and colorectal cancer (59%).

“Our study shows that MCED testing has the potential to substantially reduce stage 4 cancer incidence, particularly for cancer types that lack routine screening programs,” wrote the authors. “Although further research is needed to validate these findings in real-world settings, our results suggest that MCED testing could transform cancer diagnosis and improve patient outcomes across a broad range of cancer types.”

The study was highlighted in a news release on November 10, 2025, discussing the potential of liquid biopsy tests for earlier cancer diagnoses.

REFERENCE:

1. Chhatwal J, Xiao J, ElHabr A, et al. The impact of multicancer early detection tests on cancer stage shift: A 10-year microsimulation model.Cancer. November 10,2025. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.70075