PERTH, Western Austrailia (CNN) – Thanks to a team of Australian researchers, it may soon be easier than ever to detect melanoma.
Scientists at Edith Cowan University have developed an experimental blood test they say is capable of detecting the aggressive form of skin cancer in its early stages.
In a study published Tuesday in the journal “Oncotarget,” scientists were able to identify people who had melanoma with a 79% accuracy and identify people without the disease at an 84% accuracy.
Melanoma accounts for just one percent of all skin cancers but causes a large majority of skin cancer deaths.
The American Cancer Society expects nearly 100,000 Americans to be diagnosed with melanoma this year.
It can be cured if diagnosed in its early stages.
If further trials are successful, researchers say the test could be distributed internationally in the next five years.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.