AHN explores use of promising new blood-based test to enhance lung cancer detection

Monday, October 07, 2024

Press Releases Cancer Institute Medicine Institute AHN Primary Care Institute

Study seeks to determine if new blood test from DELFI Diagnostics can boost earlier lung cancer diagnosis, reduce death rates

PITTSBURGH and PALO ALTO - Allegheny Health Network (AHN) and DELFI Diagnostics, Inc. today announced a collaboration to evaluate the effectiveness of DELFI Diagnostics' 'FirstLook' blood test to enhance lung cancer screening among Western Pennsylvanians who are at risk for developing lung cancer - the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.

The American Cancer Society recommends yearly screening for lung cancer with a low-dose CT scan for people 50 to 80 years old who have a 20 pack-year or greater smoking history and currently smoking or quit less than 15 years ago. While early detection is key to giving patients the best chance of a good outcome, most eligible patients do not undergo screening before signs or symptoms appear, says Ali H. Zaidi, MD, medical director of aerodigestive research, AHN Cancer Institute.

"Whether it's due to lack of awareness that screening is available or reluctance to undergo CT scanning, there are millions of Americans who should be getting screened for lung cancer each year who aren't," said Dr. Zaidi. "The FirstLook blood test may help us better identify those who are most at risk of this disease and who would benefit from follow-up CT screening."

For the next 24 months, researchers at the AHN Cancer, Medicine and Primary Care Institutes will work to determine if the FirstLook blood test improves adherence to lung cancer screening guidelines. The test will be available via the network's pulmonary and primary care practices where eligible patients will submit a blood sample. Testing is expected to also be available via AHN's community-based cancer screening events in the future.

The FirstLook blood test uses a breakthrough technology of whole-genome machine learning to analyze fragments of cell-free DNA that are markers of cancer in the blood. A previous clinical trial showed that the FirstLook blood test has a negative predictive value of 99.8%; meaning that if the blood test is negative, it's highly unlikely a CT scan will identify lung cancer.

"We are thrilled to team with AHN to offer their patients an accessible, convenient and accurate way to improve lung cancer detection through a simple blood test," said Peter Bach, MD, chief medical officer, DELFI Diagnostics. "We look forward to their findings regarding the potential uptake of lung cancer screening among the communities they serve."

Over the past decade, AHN has successfully evaluated emerging health technologies and produced real-world evidence regarding patient experience, care outcomes and cost impact. These findings have led to accelerated adoption of those novel technologies that proved to be clinically beneficial.

"Our collaboration with DELFI Diagnostics in exploring the effectiveness of its FirstLook blood test at improving lung cancer screenings rates marks another milestone in our commitment to drive transformational changes in a manner that improves the health of the populations that we serve," said David L. Bartlett, MD, chair, AHN Cancer Institute.

Insurance coverage for each person is different. Please call 1-800-589-2182 to find out how much you may have to pay for the test. This test is not available to Medicare members or Federal Employee Program Insurance.

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About Allegheny Health Network

Allegheny Health Network (AHN.org), a Highmark Health company, is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is composed of 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, Health + Wellness Pavilions, an employed physician organization, home and community-based health services, a research institute and a group purchasing organization. The Network provides patients with access to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care, cardiovascular disease, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, women's health, diabetes and more. AHN employs approximately 21,000 people, has more than 2,600 physicians on its medical staff and serves as a clinical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.

About DELFI Diagnostics

DELFI Diagnostics is developing next-generation, blood-based tests that are accurate, accessible, and deliver a new way to help detect cancer. DELFI tests are built to solve the highest-burden population health issues, including in historically underserved demographics, and have the potential to save lives on a global scale. FirstLook Lung, for individuals eligible for lung cancer screening, is our first laboratory-developed screening test and requires a simple blood draw that can be incorporated with routine blood work. The test is based on fragmentomics, the discovery that cancer cells are more chaotic than normal cells and, when they die, leave behind tell-tale patterns and characteristics of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragments in the blood. The DELFI platform applies advanced machine-learning technology to whole-genome sequencing data to assess individuals' cfDNA fragments against populations with and without cancer. FirstLook Lung uses these millions of data points to reliably identify individuals who may have cancer detected through low-dose CT, including early-stage disease, with a negative predictive value of 99.8 percent. This test has not been cleared or approved by the FDA. To learn more about the FirstLook Lung test, visit www.delfidiagnostics.com or www.firstlooktest.com.