A blood test for early detection of breast cancer
A young Swiss company is developing a blood test to make breast cancer diagnosis simpler and more efficient. Instead of a mammogram, a single drop of blood is enough. The test detects the body's reaction to cancer cells and can identify breast cancer at a very early stage – when chances of recovery are highest.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and often goes undetected for a long time, making treatment more difficult. So far, mammograms are the main method of detection, but they are expensive, uncomfortable, and not accessible to all women – especially younger ones who are rarely screened regularly.
Founded in 2023 from research at the University of Fribourg, the Swiss start-up Xemperia is currently developing a simple blood test for early detection. Using modern PCR technology, widely known to the public during the COVID pandemic, a drop of blood is enough to reveal tiny changes in the immune system. The test doesn’t measure cancer directly, but the body’s reaction to cancer cells. This allows for very early detection – with the best chances of recovery. Advantages: fast, minimally invasive, and affordable.
The start-up now plans to test its method on a large scale, aiming to launch the test by 2029. In the long term, it could also be used to detect other types of cancer, such as lung or colon cancer.