Healio iconHealioSep 16, 2026 ~7 min source read

PANXEON blood test shows promise for detecting early pancreatic cancer and high-grade dysplasia

An international prospective study evaluated PANXEON, a liquid biopsy that integrates CA19-9, circulating microRNAs and exosomal microRNAs into a composite score. Results indicate favorable sensitivity for stage I–II pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and the ability to identify high-grade dysplasia, suggesting a potential window for intervention if findings are validated.

Blood test may detect pancreatic cancer earlier

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Useful takeaways from this story.

PANXEON combines three biomarker signals (CA19-9, circulating microRNAs, exosomal microRNAs) into a machine-learning composite score to detect pancreatic disease.

The test detected high-grade dysplasia, a precursor to invasive cancer, potentially enabling intervention before invasive disease develops.

The useful part

If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com. Back to Healio Save Share LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Bluesky Threads Email Copy Link Key takeaways: PANXEON assesses three pancreatic cancer biomarkers and uses machine learning to calculate a composite diagnostic score. It showed sensitivity for detecting early-stage disease and high-grade dysplasia.

How it works

  • An investigational blood test showed the potential to detect pancreatic cancer earlier when it may be more amenable to treatment, prospective study results showed.
  • City of Hope researchers led the development of PANXEON, the acronym for which stands for PANcreatic cancer eXosome Early detectiON.
  • The liquid biopsy integrates three complementary biomarker signals — carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), circulating microRNAs and exosomal microRNAs — in each sample.
  • A machine learning model combines these measurements into a single composite diagnostic score.
  • Researchers reported 83.8% sensitivity for early-stage disease and "minimal cross-reactivity" with other gastrointestinal malignancies.

What to take from it

Ajay Goel "We are very encouraged by the early-stage performance, because that is a tremendous clinical unmet need," Goel told Healio. "The possibility of finding high-grade dysplasia is even more exciting because it would give us the opportunity to intercept the disease before invasive cancer develops. Some members of the cohort also had pancreatic cysts, chronic pancreatitis, or familial or hereditary pancreatic cancer risk.

Example or evidence

  • "We were looking at true at-risk populations — the type of population in which clinicians would actually consider using a surveillance biomarker." Researchers also evaluated PANXEON's ability to detect...
  • There is a lot more work to be done to determine clinical utility, but this represents something we can build on." For more information:
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  • The test also identified high-grade dysplasia, a precursor to invasive cancer.

Details worth keeping

Blood test may detect pancreatic cancer earlier Close Ask Healio AI New! Rather than thinking about early detection, we could push the limits toward prevention." 'A more reliable picture' Pancreatic cancer is among the deadliest common malignancies, largely because symptoms often do not arise until it has reached advanced stages. Approximately 13% of patients survive 5 years after diagnosis, and that rate drops to 3% for individuals with distant disease, according to American Cancer Society statistics.

Related coverage

  • Drugs: THURSDAY, Sept.
  • Scitechdaily: An experimental blood test could help detect early pancreatic cancer and precancerous changes, guiding decisions about further testing.
  • Discovermagazine: Learn about a new blood test that could allow physicians to detect pancreatic cancer in its earliest stages by combining multiple biomarkers.
  • Theheartysoul: A 2026 Nature Medicine study found the PANXEON pancreatic cancer blood test detected early-stage PDAC with 87% sensitivity and a 3%

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