Assay increases detection rates for colorectal cancer

In a recent press release, scientists from VolitionRx Ltd. have announced that their NuQ-5mc assay detects colorectal cancer, with specificity and detection rates of 85%.

A team of researchers from VolitionRx Ltd. (Namur, Belgium), a company that researches blood-based diagnostic tests for different forms of cancer, has reported preliminary data that their NuQ^®-5mc assay is able to detect 85% of patients with colorectal cancer. In addition, the NuQ-5mc assay detects 50% of precancerous polyps, which is important for early detection of colorectal cancer.

The reported findings were validated in two separate studies, including a 90-patient independent study and later a 113-patient study at the University Hospital Bonn (Bonn, Germany).

These results arise from combining two of their NuQ assays into one test, as explained by Jake Micallef, Chief Scientific Officer of VolitionRx, “This increased detection rate confirms our original hypothesis that combining nucleosomes increases the accuracy of the test. We hope to further increase the sensitivity and specificity by adding more biomarkers and developing a larger panel of nucleosome tests.”

Currently, compliance rates for diagnostic tests for colorectal cancer, including investigative colonoscopies and fecal blood tests, are low and therefore the new assay is hoped to increase compliance due to being a less intrusive test.

Source: VolitionRx finds simple blood test detects 85% of colorectal cancers and over 50% of polyps.