Doctors Find They Can Detect Cancer in Blood Years Before Diagnosis

The chart illustrates several key concepts:

Key Features:

• Four detection methods: Current PSA testing, enhanced PSA testing, next-generation blood tests (like PSE), and conceptual ultra-early detection (MCED-type)
• Cancer grades: From low-grade (Gleason 6) to high-grade (Gleason 8-10) cancers
• Research-based data: PSA detection rates showing 21% sensitivity for any cancer and 51% for high-grade cancers at 4.0 ng/mL cutoff, improving to 32% and 68% respectively at 3.0 ng/mL cutoff

Important Insights:

1. Higher grade cancers are more detectable - This follows biological principles as aggressive cancers shed more DNA into the bloodstream
2. Current PSA testing limitations - Particularly poor at detecting low-grade cancers (15% detection rate)
3. Promise of new technologies - Next-generation tests like PSE show 94% accuracy, dramatically improving detection across all grades
4. Ultra-early detection potential - Based on the Johns Hopkins research showing 3+ year early detection capability

Clinical Relevance: The graphic shows why the Johns Hopkins breakthrough is so important - it could potentially detect high-grade cancers when they're most treatable, addressing the critical window when intervention can make the biggest difference in outcomes.

The interactive chart includes detailed explanations of Gleason grading, research-based data tables, and appropriate disclaimers about conceptual estimates, making it suitable for sharing with the IPCSG support group members.

Major Breakthrough: Blood Tests Can Detect Cancer Three Years Before Diagnosis

Johns Hopkins Study Offers New Hope for Earlier Cancer Detection Including Prostate Cancer

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have achieved a groundbreaking milestone in cancer detection that could revolutionize how we screen for and catch cancer in its earliest stages. Their study, published in Cancer Discovery in May 2025, demonstrates that genetic material shed by tumors can be detected in the bloodstream three years prior to cancer diagnosis.

The Study: A Game-Changer for Early Detection

The research team analyzed plasma samples from 52 participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, including 26 participants who were later diagnosed with cancer and 26 matched controls. Using an advanced technique called multicancer early detection (MCED) testing, researchers found something remarkable.

At the time of blood sample collection, eight participants tested positive for cancer markers. All eight were diagnosed with cancer within four months following blood collection. But here's where it gets truly exciting: For six of these eight individuals, researchers were able to assess blood samples collected 3.1 to 3.5 years prior to diagnosis, and in four of these cases, tumor-derived mutations could be identified in the earlier samples.

"Three years earlier provides time for intervention," explained lead study author Dr. Yuxuan Wang. "The tumors are likely to be much less advanced and more likely to be curable".

What This Means for Prostate Cancer Patients

While this Johns Hopkins study looked at multiple cancer types, the implications for prostate cancer detection are significant. Currently, prostate cancer screening relies primarily on PSA blood tests, which have well-known limitations in accuracy and can lead to unnecessary biopsies.

The prospect of detecting prostate cancer three years before symptoms appear could be transformative for men in our support group community. Early detection has always been key to successful prostate cancer treatment, and this research suggests we may soon have tools that push that detection window much earlier than ever thought possible.

Recent Advances in Prostate Cancer Blood Testing

The Johns Hopkins breakthrough comes at an exciting time for prostate cancer detection technology. Several promising developments are already making their way to patients:

New High-Accuracy Tests

Researchers have developed the Prostate Screening EpiSwitch (PSE) blood test, which demonstrates 94% accuracy—significantly beating the currently used PSA test. This test combines the traditional PSA test with an epigenetic EpiSwitch test, yielding impressive performance in detecting at-risk men.

AI-Powered Detection

Johns Hopkins researchers have also developed an artificial intelligence blood test specifically for lung cancer that uses DNA fragment patterns in the blood to identify cancer with high accuracy. Similar AI approaches are being applied to prostate cancer detection.

ClarityDX Prostate Test

In Canada, the ClarityDX Prostate test uses machine-learning algorithms to generate a risk score predicting aggressive prostate cancer presence in less than 24 hours, helping men and doctors make informed decisions about whether to proceed with biopsies.

The Stockholm-3 Test

Recent research shows that the Stockholm-3 blood test is equally effective at detecting prostate cancer across different ethnic groups, producing significantly better results than current PSA testing.

Current Prostate Cancer Screening Guidelines

The American Urological Association continues to recommend PSA as the primary screening tool for prostate cancer early detection, but acknowledges the limitations. Several blood and urine markers are now available to further risk-stratify patients with mildly elevated PSA levels, typically between 2.5 and 10 ng/mL.

The prostate health index (PHI) is one FDA-approved test that provides more accurate risk assessment for men with PSA scores between 4 and 10, helping reduce unnecessary biopsies while catching more aggressive cancers.

What's Next?

The Johns Hopkins researchers emphasize that much work remains before these ultra-early detection methods reach clinical practice. They note that detecting cancers three or more years prior to diagnosis will require blood tests that are 50 times more sensitive than those used to detect cancers six months prior to diagnosis.

Senior author Dr. Nickolas Papadopoulos acknowledges: "Of course, we need to determine the appropriate clinical follow-up after a positive test for such cancers".

Hope for the Future

For members of our support group, these advances represent genuine cause for optimism. While we continue to navigate our current diagnoses and treatments, the landscape of cancer detection is rapidly evolving. Future generations of men may benefit from these ultra-early detection capabilities, potentially catching prostate cancer when it's most treatable.

Recent European research reinforces the importance of screening, showing that men who consistently avoid prostate cancer screening face a 45% higher risk of dying from the disease compared to those who attend screening appointments.

The message is clear: screening saves lives, and these new technologies promise to make screening even more effective.

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Sources and Further Reading

1. Johns Hopkins Medicine News Release: "Cancers Can Be Detected in the Bloodstream Three Years Prior to Diagnosis" (June 4, 2025)
   URL: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/2025/06/cancers-can-be-detected-in-the-bloodstream-three-years-prior-to-diagnosis

2. Primary Research Study: Wang, Y., Joshu, C.E., Curtis, S.D., et al. "Detection of cancers three years prior to diagnosis using plasma cell-free DNA." Cancer Discovery (2025). DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-25-0375
   URL: https://aacrjournals.org/cancerdiscovery/article-abstract/doi/10.1158/2159-8290.CD-25-0375/762609/Detection-of-cancers-three-years-prior-to

3. Johns Hopkins Hub: "Cancers can be detected in bloodstream three years prior to diagnosis" (June 4, 2025)
   URL: https://hub.jhu.edu/2025/06/04/nih-research-cancers-in-bloodstream-early-detection/

4. University of East Anglia: "The new prostate cancer blood test with 94 per cent accuracy." ScienceDaily (February 7, 2023)
   URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230207191546.htm

5. Johns Hopkins Medicine: "Prostate Cancer: Advancements in Screenings" (November 11, 2021)
   URL: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/prostate-cancer/prostate-cancer-advancements-in-screenings

6. American Urological Association: "Early Detection of Prostate Cancer: AUA/SUO Guideline (2023)"
   URL: https://www.auanet.org/guidelines-and-quality/guidelines/early-detection-of-prostate-cancer-guidelines

7. Canadian Cancer Society: "Breakthrough test for prostate cancer" (2024)
   URL: https://cancer.ca/en/about-us/stories/2024/breakthrough-test-provides-clarity-for-prostate-cancer-diagnosis

8. ecancer: "EAU 2025: Worse outcomes for men who avoid prostate cancer screening" (March 21, 2025)
   URL: https://ecancer.org/en/news/26188-eau-2025-worse-outcomes-for-men-who-avoid-prostate-cancer-screening

9. Institute for Clinical and Translational Research: "Artificial Intelligence Blood Test Provides a Reliable Way to Identify Lung Cancer"
   URL: https://ictr.johnshopkins.edu/news_announce/artificial-intelligence-blood-test-provides-a-reliable-way-to-identify-lung-cancer/

10. ecancer: "EAU 2024: Five-year interval is safe for prostate cancer screening, research shows" (April 6, 2024)
    URL: https://ecancer.org/en/news/24526-eau-2024-five-year-interval-is-safe-for-prostate-cancer-screening-research-shows

Doctors Find They Can Detect Cancer in Blood Years Before Diagnosis