Blood test detects early pancreatic cancer in 87% of stage 1-2 cases

September 16, 2026 at 06:00 PM1 min

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A new blood test called PAXEON detected stage 1 and 2 pancreatic cancers with 87% accuracy in a trial of 1,800 people across the U.S., Europe and Asia. The test also identified precancerous dysplasia in over 64% of high-risk patients. Results were published in Nature Medicine on September 16, 2026.

Key Facts

The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is 13% because most cases are diagnosed at advanced stages.
PAXEON accurately detected stage 1 and 2 pancreatic cancers 87% of the time in a trial of 1,800 people.
The test identified advanced precancerous dysplasia in more than 64% of people with high-risk pancreatic cysts.
The FDA recently approved daraxonrasib, a drug for late-stage pancreatic cancer that improves survival by 6.5 months compared to chemotherapy alone.

Test Accuracy

PAXEON screens for three molecular signatures of pancreatic cancer. Researchers use artificial intelligence to assign a risk score based on these signatures. The test detected stage 1 and 2 pancreatic cancers with 87% accuracy and a low false-positive rate. It identified advanced dysplasia in over 64% of people with high-risk pancreatic cysts.

Clinical Context

The trial enrolled about 1,800 people across the U.S., Europe and Asia. Doctors could use the risk score to decide on further investigation or treatment, especially for people with inherited risk or pancreatitis. More advanced clinical trials are needed before PAXEON can be used in clinics.

Treatment Landscape

The FDA approved daraxonrasib for late-stage pancreatic cancer patients who have already undergone chemotherapy. Daraxonrasib improves survival by 6.5 months compared to chemotherapy alone (13.2 months versus 6.7 months).