Early cancer detection in a large American Cancer Society cohort study: Retrospective analysis of methylated DNA biomarkers
Menée aux Etats-Unis à l'aide d'échantillons plasmatiques provenant de 2 754 participants dont 1 383 ayant développé un cancer après leur intégration dans l'"American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study 3", cette étude examine, en fonction du délai entre le prélèvement sanguin et le diagnostic, la détectabilité des cancers à partir de l'analyse de la méthylation de l'ADN libre circulant
Background : Cancer biobank studies can inform the natural history of cancer and possibilities for earlier detection. The authors investigated the detectability of a cell-free DNA methylation-based cancer signal in biobanked plasma samples from the large American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study 3.
Methods : In total, 303,692 participants provided a blood sample at enrollment (2006–2013) and were followed for cancer incidence and mortality through state cancer registries. Samples were obtained from participants with and without a diagnosis of cancer (up to 3 years after enrollment), and their prediagnostic plasma samples were tested for cancer signals.
Results : For 1371 participants without cancer, zero cancer signals were detected. For 1383 participants who were diagnosed with cancer within a 3-year period, cancer signal detection depended on the time between blood draw and cancer diagnosis. Among all cancers, detectability was 15.2%, 6.0%, and 2.3% for samples collected 1, 2, and 3 year(s) before diagnosis, respectively. Among cancers that went on to be fatal, detectability was 55.1%, 21.6%, and 5.1%, respectively; among nonfatal cancers, detectability was 10.2%, 4.1%, and 1.8%, respectively. Cancer signal detection occurred, on average, 323 days before clinical diagnosis, with 40% of signal detections occurring greater than 1 year prior, including some cases up to 3 years prior.
Conclusions : Cancer signal detection rates change rapidly as lead time approaches clinical diagnosis. The average lead time of approximately 1 year supports annual screening intervals.
Cancer , article en libre accès, 2026