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Reimagining Cancer Screening: How Multi-Cancer Early Detection Is Reshaping Care for Aggressive Cancers

09/09/2025|Source Author|

Imagine a future where some cancers are caught before symptoms appear, before they spread, before lives are disrupted. That’s the potential of multi-cancer early detection (MCED), a transformative approach that’s reshaping how healthcare leaders think about cancer screening.

In 2025 alone, over 2 million new cancer cases and more than 618,000 deaths were projected, with pancreatic, liver, and lung cancers among the leading contributors. These cancers are often diagnosed only after symptoms emerge, when treatment options are limited, costs are higher, and outcomes are poorer.1

Despite a 27.5% decline in age-adjusted cancer mortality between 2000 and 2021, cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the U.S. The aging population offsets gains in treatment, and the prevalence of aggressive cancers is rising. By 2030, pancreatic and liver cancers are projected to surpass breast and colorectal cancers as the second and third leading causes of cancer-related deaths.2

Traditional screening methods have long focused on individual cancers, mammograms for breast cancer, colonoscopies or fecal-blood test for colorectal cancer, and so on. But what about the dozens of other cancers that silently grow without routine checks? MCED is changing the game by offering a way to screen multiple cancer types at once.

MCED works by detecting biological signals that may indicate the presence of cancer, even in its earliest stages. For aggressive cancers like pancreatic or ovarian, where early detection has been shown to make a large difference in survival.2,3

But with great power comes great responsibility. Aggressive cancer screening means casting a wider net, but it also requires careful consideration. Overdiagnosis, false positives, false negatives, and patient anxiety are real concerns. The goal is to strike the right balance: catch more cancers early, while minimizing unnecessary interventions.

Early results are promising, showing potential to detect dozens of cancer types. As these technologies mature, they could become part of routine care, especially for people at higher risk or those who lack access to traditional screening. 3,4

Organizations like Exact Sciences are helping lead the charge by supporting research, education, and awareness around early detection. One example is the Cancerguard™ test, it evaluates both DNA methylation and protein biomarkers—two distinct classes of cancer-associated signals. In development studies, the Cancerguard test demonstrated 64% overall sensitivity and 67% sensitivity for six of the most lethal cancers (pancreatic, esophageal, liver, lung, stomach, and ovarian) with 97.4% overall specificity.5 These performance levels suggest the potential to detect cancers historically diagnosed too late, while minimizing false positives that can lead to unnecessary procedures.

The future of cancer screening is proactive, efficient, and powerful. With MCED, we’re not just waiting for cancer to show up, we’re going to screen early. Because waiting for symptoms is no longer an option – the Cancerguard test can complement your routine screening and expand screening potential.

And that changes everything.

Information provided is not intended as medical advice, and should not replace professional medical treatment.

Exact Sciences and Cancerguard are trademarks of Exact Sciences Corporation.

© 2025 Exact Sciences Corporation. All rights Reserved. M-US-CAG-00477

References

  1. National Cancer Institute. (2024). Cancer Statistics. https://seer.cancer.gov/statistics-network/
  2. American Cancer Society. (2024). Cancer Facts & Figures 2024. https://www.cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics.html
  3. Wardle, J., Robb, K., Vernon, S., & Waller, J. (2015). Screening for prevention and early diagnosis of cancer. American Psychologist, 70(2), 119–133. https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/amp-a0037357.pdf 
  4. Patriotis, C. (2023). Multicancer early detection: A promise yet to be proven. American Academy of Family Physicians. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2023/0300/editorial-multicancer-early-detection.pdf
  5. Exact Sciences. (2025). Cancerguard™ Multi-Cancer Early Detection Test. https://www.exactsciences.com/cancer-testing/cancerguard-mced-providers 

The post Reimagining Cancer Screening: How Multi-Cancer Early Detection Is Reshaping Care for Aggressive Cancers appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.

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