A new hope for early cancer detection — but is it reliable?

New private blood tests promise to identify cancer in the initial stages, which could improve treatment outcomes. But are they worth the high cost, and are they sufficiently reliable?

UCD’s Dr Antoinette Perry says the sensitivity of tests in picking up early-stage cancers is not very high.

CORK GP Dr Nick Flynn didn’t think the lump in his right forearm looked nasty. This was four years ago and due to covid-related pressure on hospitals, he didn’t get the lump checked out until 12 months after he’d first spotted it.

“It turned out to be a sarcoma, which is normally severe. I was just very lucky mine wasn’t aggressive,” says Flynn.