Definition

A type of blood test that is being studied as a way to screen for many types of cancer at the same time. MCD tests work by measuring biomarkers, such as pieces of DNA, that cancer cells release into the blood as they die. These tests may help find cancer in parts of the body that are not easily accessible for physical exam or biopsy. MCD tests may be used with other screening tests to help find more cancers before they cause symptoms. MCD tests are a type of liquid biopsy. These tests are sometimes called multi-cancer early detection tests or MCED tests. Also called multi-cancer detection test.