Internal Medicine

A Cell-free DNA Blood-Based Test for Colorectal Cancer Screening | NEJM

In the ECLIPSE trial, a cfDNA blood-based test for colorectal cancer screening demonstrated an 83.1% sensitivity in detecting colorectal cancer and 89.6% specificity for advanced neoplasia (cancer or advanced precancerous lesions) among 7,861 eligible individuals. The test showed an 87.5% sensitivity for early-stage (I-III) cancers and a lower sensitivity of 13.2% for advanced precancerous lesions. This suggests that the cfDNA test could significantly contribute to early cancer detection and potentially improve screening adherence, offering a promising alternative to traditional colonoscopy screening methods.