Stanford Medicine researchers have developed a groundbreaking RNA-based blood test that can detect cancer, track resistance to treatment, and assess tissue injury by analyzing messenger RNA (mRNA) in blood. Unlike traditional DNA tests, this “liquid biopsy” focuses on rare mRNA signatures from around 5,000 genes not typically found in healthy blood, boosting its ability to identify disease.
In a recent study published in Nature, the test detected lung cancer in 73% of cases, including early-stage disease. It also identified non-genetic forms of treatment resistance and injury markers in conditions like COVID-19 and ARDS. The technique works on both fresh and archived samples and could accelerate biomarker discovery and improve patient monitoring.