Innovating the future of cancer early detection

What if we could detect cancer earlier, even before symptoms start? That’s the mission Baylor Scott & White oncology team. Bringing together innovations in genomic sequencing, biomarker detection and more, we are changing the way we think about and treat cancer.

“At Baylor Scott & White, we have hundreds of trials leading the war on cancer,” said Ronan J. Kelly, MD, director of oncology at Baylor Scott & White Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas and chief of oncology for Baylor Scott & White Health – North Texas. “We are more optimistic than ever before.” 

In 2022, the US government launched a new Cancer Moonshot initiative with an ambitious goal: to reduce cancer mortality by 50% over the next 25 years by investing in cancer research and collaboration. Baylor Scott & White is leading the charge to make that goal a reality.

Traditionally, our healthcare system in the US takes a reactive approach when it comes to cancer diagnosis. We regularly screen for certain cancers, like breast, colon, lung and cervical cancers, but those makeup only 28% of cancer diagnoses in the US. That means 72% of cancers don’t have screening available.

So, how can we detect these cancers early—before symptoms even begin—to give people the best odds of survival?

“We have to change our mindset about cancer detection and treatment,” Dr. Kelly said.

Using data collected from cancer patients across the state through the Texas Immuno-Oncology Biorepository (TIOB), researchers are digging into the microscopic clues that signal cancer growth—how can we use a simple blood or urine test to detect signs of cancer in the bloodstream?

“Using samples from real cancer patients helps us understand what’s going on in their body and why,” Dr. Kelly said.

The data and biological samples (urine, blood, stool, tissue, cells, DNA, RNA and protein) gathered through the TIOB will also allow researchers to explore the microscopic nuances that determine how one patient responds to a treatment compared with another, or what small changes can be made to improve the effectiveness of a treatment option.

It’s a way for cancer patients across the state to help create a better future for their neighbors and fellow Texans.

“We ask every patient who walks into one of our clinics if they’re willing to give us a sample of blood, saliva or urine,” Dr. Kelly said. “So we can start to learn from real Texans why some have a great response to treatment and why some don’t.”

Because cancer is an individual condition, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to cancer treatment. The more we can learn about cancer through these innovative programs, the better we can fight it on a personalized level.

Advancements in cancer research

This approach is built upon several exciting developments in cancer research. Baylor, Scott & White Health is bringing these innovations together under one umbrella to detect signs of cancer as early as possible, giving people facing a diagnosis the best odds at survival.

Genomic sequencing

Genomic sequencing is another powerful innovation in cancer care. We can now sequence DNA and generate a personalized readout of what genetic alterations are happening in a patient and why. With that knowledge, we can more precisely target their cancer with the right drugs.

Artificial intelligence

As artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing many areas of life, we’re asking ourselves, where does AI play a role in cancer detection and treatment? At Baylor Scott & White, we plan to launch an innovative AI-powered screening tool to enhance the effectiveness of early detection initiatives.

The future of cancer care

The incidence of cancer continues to increase across the country, but the field of early detection is improving rapidly. Thanks to breakthroughs in genomic sequencing and molecular detection of cancer using biospecimens (like blood or urine), we’re no longer reliant on imaging alone. Our teams are hard at work putting the pieces together to better understand and detect cancer earlier than ever before.

“We are taking the fight to cancer by intercepting the disease earlier and by beginning treatment earlier than we have done before,” Dr. Kelly said. “We are now entering a whole new era on the war on cancer armed with new ways to detect microscopic signs of cancer rather than waiting for a patient to present with symptoms.”

Learn more about cancer research initiatives today.