Ultra-Sensitive Blood Test Opens Door to Earlier Cancer Detection

A new CRISPR-powered blood test can detect faint molecular signs of cancer in a drop of blood before tumors appear on scans, offering new possibilities for earlier diagnosis, scientists in China report.

“If successful, this approach could help make disease treatments simpler, improve survival rates and lower healthcare costs,” said Han Zhang, research team leader and professor at Shenzhen University.

The light-based sensor combines DNA nanotechnology, CRISPR, and quantum dots to detect biomarkers at extremely low levels, successfully identifying lung cancer signals in patient samples and demonstrating potential for simple screening tests that could also be adapted to monitor other diseases or guide personalised treatment.