U of T study explores blood markers years before cancer diagnosis
Published by BriefDash · · Toronto
University of Toronto researchers found that DNA-methylation patterns in stored blood samples could signal some cancers years before diagnosis. The study followed 491 Ontario Health Study participants who were cancer-free when samples were collected; prostate-cancer signals were strongest five to eight years before diagnosis, while breast-cancer signals were less accurate. The work is exploratory and does not establish a population-screening test.
Why it matters
Earlier risk signals could eventually guide follow-up research, but the method still needs substantial validation before clinical use.
Source dated October 23, 2026 · University of Toronto ↗
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