We are delighted to announce the first publication of the MCD Spotlight research program: a major comprehensive systematic review examining the evidence for blood-based multi-cancer detection (MCD) tests in people without cancer symptoms, published in JCO Oncology Practice.
The evidence synthesis showed that MCD tests can identify some cancers that might otherwise go undetected, including some early-stage cancers, highlighting their potential to complement existing screening approaches.
However, the review also highlighted that MCD tests miss many cancers and produce some false-positive results, which may lead to additional scans, procedures, and time spent investigating whether cancer is present. Notably, evidence varied substantially across different MCD tests, populations, and healthcare settings.
As interest in MCD tests continues to grow worldwide, these findings underscore the importance of ongoing research, including randomised trials and long-term follow-up studies, to determine whether MCD testing ultimately could improve health outcomes and be implemented effectively and safely at a population level.
Read the review
