Madison-based Exact Sciences Corp., manufacturer of Cologuard, an at-home colon-cancer test, and the Mayo Clinic, announced progress toward a blood-based test for liver cancer.
Thus far, the test has been able to detect 95% of cases of HCC, or hepatocellular carcinoma, the most commonly occurring form of liver cancer, according to a release.
In the U.S., 42,000 cases of HCC are diagnosed and 30,000 people die from liver cancer each year, including HCC and bile duct cancer. According to a related Wisconsin State Journalstory, the test could be available in three years.
Exact Sciences has identified biomarkers associated with 10 of the deadliest cancers and is advancing a pipeline of non-invasive diagnostic and screening tests based on those biomarkers.
