National Cancer Center of China Releases Multi-Cancer Early Detection Expert Consensus to Accelerate Clinical Adoption of Liquid Biopsy-Based Screening
Recently, the National Cancer Center led the release of the “2025 Expert Consensus on Multi-Cancer Joint Screening Based on Liquid Biopsy Technology.” Professor Chen Wanqing, Director of the Office for Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer at the National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, together with 52 leading experts from fields including epidemiology, medical statistics, basic medicine, clinical medicine, and biomedical engineering, conducted discussions on clinical research and application development concerning the use of liquid biopsy technology in this area, and formulated guidance recommendations. This technology enables early screening for multiple cancers simultaneously through a single blood test.
Cancer is a major public health challenge worldwide, with an increasing global burden of cancer. The latest data from the National Cancer Center in 2024 shows that in 2022, there were 4.825 million new cases and 2.574 million deaths from cancer in China, accounting for 24.2% and 26.4% of the global new cases and deaths, respectively, ranking first in the world. Cancer has become a significant public health issue seriously threatening the health of Chinese residents.
Among various cancer prevention and control measures, screening is considered one of the most cost-effective strategies. Clinically, the prognosis after treatment for early-stage cancer is generally optimistic. For instance, patients with early-stage breast cancer who receive standardized treatment can achieve a 5-year survival rate of over 90%, giving them a strong chance to resume normal lives and reintegrate into society. In contrast, once late-stage breast cancer metastasizes distantly, the 5-year survival rate may drop to below 20%; treatment options become limited, and patients’ quality of life declines significantly. From an economic perspective, the cost of treating early-stage cancer is also relatively lower. Early-stage gastrointestinal cancers treated with minimally invasive endoscopic procedures may incur costs of only tens of thousands of yuan, with rapid patient recovery and short hospital stays. Conversely, advanced gastrointestinal cancers often require comprehensive interventions such as surgery, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy, which can drive treatment costs up to hundreds of thousands of yuan. These patients typically present with poor physical condition and prolonged hospitalization, leading to a substantial increase in overall expenses.
However, globally, only a few types of cancer have standardized screening methods. Moreover, traditional cancer screening approaches, such as imaging and endoscopy, suffer from low sensitivity in detecting early-stage microtumors, the discomfort associated with invasive procedures, and other risks, thereby limiting their population coverage. There is an urgent need to develop non-invasive multi-cancer screening methods to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of cancer screening. In recent years, with the rapid advancement of technologies in molecular biology, genetics, and big data, Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) has emerged.
Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) based on liquid biopsy technology is a technique that enables simultaneous early screening for multiple cancers through a single blood test. Compared with traditional single-cancer screening, MCED offers advantages such as high efficiency, convenience, and non-invasiveness, significantly improving the efficiency and coverage of cancer screening and providing a new effective approach for early diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Such products have already entered clinical application abroad; for example, Galleri, a multi-cancer early screening product from Grail in the United States, can screen for more than 50 types of cancer by detecting ctDNA methylation levels in blood, achieving high sensitivity and specificity. Currently, several multi-cancer screening products in China have entered clinical trials but have not yet been approved for clinical use.
Against this backdrop, Professor Chen Wanqing, Director of the Office for Early Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment at the National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, led a team of 52 authoritative experts from fields including epidemiology, medical statistics, basic medicine, clinical medicine, and biomedical engineering to jointly release the “Expert Consensus on Multi-Cancer Joint Screening Based on Liquid Biopsy Technology (2025 Edition).” Addressing key clinical concerns regarding the application of liquid biopsy technology in this field, the expert panel developed unified guidance through discussion and revision, providing standardized and normative direction for in-depth research and broad implementation of multi-cancer joint screening.
The release of the “Consensus” reflects the recognition and attention given to MCED by the National Cancer Center and other authoritative experts. With the implementation and promotion of the guidelines outlined in the “Consensus,” research on multi-cancer early screening in China is expected to enter a new phase of development, thereby accelerating the clinical application of related technologies.
In the future, we may be able to easily complete multi-cancer early screening in community hospitals, physical examination centers, and even at home, making cancer screening as common as routine health checkups. More people will benefit from it by detecting potential cancer risks in time through early screening, receiving timely and effective treatment, and improving cure rates and quality of life.