Hani Goodarzi: What if a simple blood test could detect cancer?

What if a simple blood test could detect cancer?

Catching cancer at its earliest stages saves lives. But in a body made up of trillions of cells, how do you spot a small group of rogue cancer cells? Biomedical researcher Hani Goodarzi discusses his lab's discovery of a new class of RNAs that, when paired with emerging AI tools, could help detect cancer earlier, more precisely and even through routine blood work — potentially transforming our understanding of the disease.

A new class of non-coding RNAs, called oncRNAs, can reveal the presence of cancer by acting as molecular barcodes. Unlike regular RNA, these molecules appear only in cancer cells, and some find their way into the bloodstream. Early studies show that routine blood tests can detect these unique RNAs, offering a window into both the existence and type of cancer. Pairing this discovery with AI allows for earlier, more precise detection and could change cancer screening forever.