Freenome reported improved clinical performance of an updated version of its SimpleScreen™ colorectal cancer (CRC) blood test, with data presented at the 2026 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium. In a large case-control validation study of 966 average-risk samples, the updated test detected 85% of CRC cases and 22% of advanced precancerous lesions (APLs) at 90% specificity.
The improved performance reflects assay upgrades, including optimized reagents, workflow enhancements, and increased automation. The updated test was compared head-to-head with the original version—currently under FDA review—using the same study subjects, controlling for biological and cohort variation. Performance results for both CRC and APL were within the confidence intervals of the original test, supporting the validity of the improvements.