TEL AVIV (VINnews) – Researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed a low-cost blood test that uses optical analysis of cell-free DNA to detect lung cancer, according to findings published in the journal npj Precision Oncology.

The method extracts cell-free DNA from a blood sample, labels it with fluorescent substances and scans it on a specialized chip with light. This produces a pattern of illuminated dots that a computational model compares against 170 genomic regions to identify cancer signatures. The approach can also distinguish between non-small cell lung cancer and the more aggressive small cell lung cancer subtype.

In an initial study of 103 participants — 51 patients with stage 2 to 4 lung cancer and 52 healthy controls — the test achieved 93.1% sensitivity in detecting cancer cases and 90.3% specificity in correctly identifying healthy individuals. Early observations suggested the test may also help monitor treatment response. In one patient who responded to therapy, the DNA signature shifted toward patterns seen in healthy people, while it remained largely unchanged in a non-responding patient.

The test costs roughly $60 per sample and can deliver results within two to three days. Researchers say it is intended as an accessible complement to low-dose CT scans for earlier diagnosis and monitoring, rather than a replacement.

“Instead of sequencing it, our method uses light to detect a cancer signature, at less than one-tenth the cost of a sequencing-based test,” said Prof. Yuval Ebenstein of Tel Aviv University’s School of Chemistry and Department of Biomedical Engineering, who led the work.

The study involved collaboration among researchers from Tel Aviv University, JaxBio Technologies, Bnai Zion Medical Center, the English Hospital in Nazareth, Sheba Medical Center and Bar-Ilan University. JaxBio Technologies, founded to advance the technology, has raised $12 million and is conducting clinical trials at hospitals in Israel and Europe.

The test remains in the research phase. Larger validation studies across diverse populations are needed before any routine clinical use, the researchers said. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and early detection significantly improves treatment outcomes.