New Blood Test Aims to Detect Lung Cancer Years Earlier

Emerging technologies could increase screening by providing a simpler initial step before imaging.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 9:53am

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A highly detailed, translucent X-ray-style image revealing the complex internal structure of a human lung, conveying the clinical yet hopeful nature of new blood test technologies for early lung cancer detection.Emerging blood-based screening tests aim to catch lung cancer earlier, when the disease is more treatable, by detecting subtle molecular markers in a patient's bloodstream.Hackensack Today

New developments in blood-based screening are aiming to address the challenges of early lung cancer detection, a critical need given that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Because many individuals do not exhibit obvious symptoms in the early stages, most cases are not diagnosed until the disease has reached an advanced stage, significantly lowering the five-year survival rate. Several companies are developing blood tests designed to identify lung cancer at earlier stages by detecting tumor-related markers in the bloodstream.

Why it matters

The integration of blood tests into screening protocols could potentially increase the number of people who undergo screening by providing a simpler initial step before moving to imaging. The scale of the public health challenge is significant, with approximately 2 million lung cancer diagnoses and 1.8 million deaths worldwide in 2020. Early detection is crucial, as lung cancer is more curable when caught early.

The details

One such test is FirstLook, developed by DELFI Diagnostics, which assesses a patient's likelihood of having lung cancer by detecting fragments of DNA shed by tumors into the blood. Another development is the NeXT Personal ctDNA assay from Personalis Inc., designed to detect small traces of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the blood as a marker for recurrent or residual cancer. While these technologies show promise, some remain in the early stages of clinical verification.

  • In 2020, there were approximately 2 million lung cancer diagnoses and 1.8 million deaths worldwide.
  • Mercy BioAnalytics, Inc. announced data on November 20, 2025, regarding its Mercy Halo blood test, stating that the test showed performance similar to low-dose CT scans with clinical complementarity in early lung cancer detection.

The players

DELFI Diagnostics

A company developing the FirstLook blood test, which assesses a patient's likelihood of having lung cancer by detecting fragments of DNA shed by tumors into the blood.

Personalis Inc.

A cancer genomics company developing the NeXT Personal ctDNA assay, designed to detect small traces of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the blood as a marker for recurrent or residual cancer.

Mercy BioAnalytics, Inc.

A company that announced data on November 20, 2025, regarding its Mercy Halo blood test, stating that the test showed performance similar to low-dose CT scans with clinical complementarity in early lung cancer detection.

Helen Nunez

A nurse practitioner at Hackensack Meridian Health's Hennessy Institute for Cancer Prevention & Applied Molecular Medicine, who noted that some people avoid low-dose CT scans due to claustrophobia or fear of receiving a diagnosis.

Richard Chen

The chief medical officer and executive vice president of research and development at Personalis Inc., who noted the NeXT Personal ctDNA assay's ability to identify ctDNA markers.

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What’s next

While these technologies show promise, some remain in the early stages of clinical verification. For example, the research regarding the NeXT Personal ctDNA assay had not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal at the time of its presentation at the European Society for Medical Oncology congress.

The takeaway

The overarching goal of these advancements in blood-based screening is to bridge the gap between available technology and patient utilization, ultimately improving early detection outcomes and increasing the chances of successful treatment for lung cancer patients.