Lucence Insight is Not Included in Current Cancer Screening Guidelines
No established cancer screening guidelines from major organizations (American Cancer Society, USPSTF, NCCN) include Lucence Insight as a recommended cancer detection method. The available guideline evidence focuses exclusively on established screening modalities with proven mortality benefit.
Established Guideline-Recommended Screening Methods
Current American Cancer Society guidelines recommend only the following cancer screening approaches with demonstrated mortality reduction 1:
Breast Cancer Screening
- Annual mammography beginning at age 40 years for average-risk women 1
- Clinical breast examination as part of periodic health examinations 2
- MRI screening for women at very high risk (known genetic mutations, prior chest radiation) 2
Cervical Cancer Screening
- HPV testing and/or cytology according to age-specific protocols 2, 1
- Updated guidelines published in 2012 and 2018 2
Colorectal Cancer Screening
- Multiple validated options including fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or double-contrast barium enema 2, 1
- Comprehensive guideline update completed in 2018 2, 1
Lung Cancer Screening (Shared Decision-Making Required)
- Low-dose CT for patients ages 55-74 with ≥30 pack-year smoking history 1
- Requires informed discussion of benefits and harms 1
Why Novel Blood-Based Tests Are Not Yet Guideline-Recommended
The American Cancer Society employs a rigorous nine-step methodology for guideline development that requires strong evidence of mortality benefit before recommending any screening test 2. Novel blood-based multicancer detection tests, while promising in research settings, have not yet met these criteria 3, 4.
Key Barriers to Guideline Inclusion
- Lack of longitudinal mortality data: No completed randomized trials demonstrating that these tests reduce cancer deaths 3
- Validation requirements: Tests like CancerSEEK, Galleri, and PanSeer are still in clinical trial validation phases 3
- Specificity concerns: High false-positive rates could lead to overdiagnosis and unnecessary interventions 3
Critical Pitfall to Avoid
Do not use unvalidated screening tests outside of clinical trials. The American Cancer Society explicitly states that screening tests should not be widely embraced before proper evaluation, as premature adoption can diminish the ability to assess true effectiveness and may cause patient harm 2. Even when preliminary research shows promise (as with PanSeer detecting cancer up to four years before conventional diagnosis 5), guideline incorporation requires completion of rigorous longitudinal studies demonstrating mortality benefit 3.
Current Status of Emerging Detection Technologies
While research on novel cancer detection methods is advancing rapidly 3, 4, 6, 5, none have achieved the level of evidence required for guideline inclusion. The American Cancer Society monitors medical literature continuously and updates guidelines when new evidence warrants changes 2, but as of the most recent guideline summaries (2019), no blood-based multicancer detection tests have been incorporated 2.
What Clinicians Should Tell Patients
Patients asking about novel cancer detection tests should be counseled that:
- These tests are investigational and not yet proven to save lives 3
- Established screening methods (mammography, colonoscopy, cervical cancer screening, low-dose CT for high-risk smokers) have demonstrated mortality benefit and should be prioritized 1
- Participation in clinical trials may be appropriate for some patients interested in novel detection methods 3