We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Innovative Liquid Biopsy Test Uses RNA to Detect Early-Stage Cancer

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 09 Jul 2025

Detecting and diagnosing cancer, particularly in its early stages, remains a significant challenge. More...

Liquid biopsies offer a promising non-invasive alternative to traditional biopsies, which require removing tissue samples. However, current liquid biopsies rely on circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA), which is often in limited amounts during the early stages of cancer, making early detection difficult. This issue hampers accurate diagnosis and timely treatment, as the lack of cfDNA in the bloodstream makes it harder to detect the disease in its early phases. Researchers have now developed a more sensitive liquid biopsy test that uses circulating cell-free RNA (cfRNA) instead of cfDNA, allowing for the detection of colorectal cancer at its earliest stages with much higher accuracy.

The new liquid biopsy test, developed by researchers from the University of Chicago (Chicago, IL, USA), focuses on measuring RNA modifications instead of simply quantifying RNA or DNA. The research team, inspired by previous research in plants, studied the biological functions of RNA modifications, which remain relatively stable regardless of the amount of RNA present. This breakthrough allowed them to detect changes in the microbiome's RNA as well as cfRNA from human cells. The researchers used blood samples from colorectal cancer patients and successfully analyzed modifications in RNA to detect cancerous activity. The test works by measuring RNA modifications that reflect cellular activity, and its ability to detect early-stage cancer is significantly higher than current commercial methods.

The test was validated using blood samples from colorectal cancer patients, demonstrating nearly 95% accuracy in detecting early-stage cancer. This improvement over existing commercial tests, which drop below 50% accuracy in the early stages of the disease, positions this method as a potential game-changer for early cancer diagnosis. The findings, published in Nature Biotechnology, suggest that RNA modifications could serve as a reliable biomarker for cancer detection. The researchers plan to further refine the test and explore its broader application across various types of cancer.

“This is the first time RNA modifications have been used as a potential biomarker for cancer, and it looks to be much more reliable and sensitive compared to RNA abundance,” said Chuan He, PhD. “Being able to detect the cancer at those early stages is unprecedented.”


Gold Member
Quantitative POC Immunoassay Analyzer
EASY READER+
POC Helicobacter Pylori Test Kit
Hepy Urease Test
New
Sperm Quality Analyis Kit
QwikCheck Beads Precision and Linearity Kit
New
ESR Analyzer
TEST1 2.0
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: New research points to protecting blood during radiation therapy (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Pioneering Model Measures Radiation Exposure in Blood for Precise Cancer Treatments

Scientists have long focused on protecting organs near tumors during radiotherapy, but blood — a vital, circulating tissue — has largely been excluded from dose calculations. Each blood cell passing through... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The test could streamline clinical decision-making by identifying ideal candidates for immunotherapy upfront (Xiao, Y. et al. Cancer Biology & Medicine July 2025, 20250038)

Blood Test Predicts Immunotherapy Efficacy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype lacking targeted therapies, making immunotherapy a promising yet unpredictable option. Current biomarkers such as PD-L1 expression or tumor... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: New diagnostics could predict a woman’s risk of a common sexually transmitted infection (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

New Markers Could Predict Risk of Severe Chlamydia Infection

Chlamydia trachomatis is a common sexually transmitted infection that can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and other reproductive complications when it spreads to the upper genital tract.... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: The sensor can help diagnose diabetes and prediabetes on-site in a few minutes using just a breath sample (Photo courtesy of Larry Cheng/Penn State)

Graphene-Based Sensor Uses Breath Sample to Identify Diabetes and Prediabetes in Minutes

About 37 million U.S. adults live with diabetes, and one in five is unaware of their condition. Diagnosing diabetes often requires blood draws or lab visits, which are costly and inconvenient.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.