New blood test could catch pancreatic cancer early

The four-marker panel demonstrated strong performance in detecting pancreatic cancer, even in early stages.

Mar. 23, 2026 at 7:35am

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Researchers have developed a new blood test that can detect pancreatic cancer with over 90% accuracy, including in early stages when treatment is most effective. The test combines existing biomarkers with two newly identified proteins, ANPEP and PIGR, that appear elevated in pancreatic cancer patients.

Why it matters

Pancreatic cancer has a very poor prognosis, with only about 10% of patients surviving beyond 5 years. However, doctors believe survival could improve significantly if the disease is caught earlier. This new blood test offers hope for earlier detection, which could lead to more treatment options and better outcomes for patients.

The details

The researchers analyzed blood samples from individuals with and without pancreatic cancer, evaluating several biomarkers including CA19-9 and THBS2. They identified two additional proteins, ANPEP and PIGR, that appear elevated in early-stage pancreatic cancer. When combined, the four-marker panel was able to correctly distinguish pancreatic cancer cases from non-cases 91.9% of the time, with an 87.5% detection rate for early-stage (stage I/II) cancer.

  • The study was published on March 23, 2026.

The players

Kenneth Zaret, Ph.D.

The lead investigator of the study and a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

The government agency that provided funding support for the research.

University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

The institution where some of the researchers involved in the study are based.

Mayo Clinic

The institution where some of the researchers involved in the study are based.

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What they’re saying

“By adding ANPEP and PIGR to the existing markers, we've significantly improved our ability to detect this cancer when it's most treatable.”

— Kenneth Zaret, Lead Investigator

What’s next

The researchers plan to conduct further testing of the blood test in larger populations, particularly in people before they show symptoms, to determine if it could be used as a screening tool for those at high risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

The takeaway

This new blood test offers hope for earlier detection of pancreatic cancer, which could lead to more treatment options and better outcomes for patients. The combination of existing and newly identified biomarkers demonstrated strong performance, even in detecting early-stage cancer.