Abbott has announced new research findings showing that its Oncodetect® test may help identify signs of colorectal cancer recurrence more effectively after surgery. The results, presented at the 2026 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress, showed that the test using whole-genome sequencing achieved a 30-percentage-point increase in sensitivity compared with an earlier sequencing approach. The findings highlight how advances in genetic testing could support doctors in monitoring patients after cancer treatment.
Abbott Reports Progress in Colorectal Cancer Testing
Colorectal cancer affects the colon or rectum and remains a major health concern worldwide. Even after surgery, some patients may have small amounts of cancer remaining in their bodies that are difficult to detect through conventional examinations.
Abbott’s Oncodetect test is designed to identify molecular residual disease (MRD), which refers to small traces of cancer that remain after treatment. The test analyses circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in a blood sample to look for genetic signals associated with the patient’s cancer.
Detecting these signals may help healthcare professionals understand whether a patient faces a higher risk of the disease returning.
Whole-Genome Sequencing Shows Higher Sensitivity
The latest findings came from the Beta-CORRECT study, which evaluated samples from 279 patients with colorectal cancer following surgery.
According to Abbott, the whole-genome sequencing version of the test achieved 72.2% sensitivity in detecting recurrence within two years of surgery. The earlier whole-exome sequencing approach achieved 42.2% sensitivity.
This represents an improvement of 30 percentage points. Sensitivity measures how well a test identifies people who experience the condition being investigated.
The results suggest that analysing a broader range of genetic information may help identify more patients who later experience a recurrence. However, the findings relate to the study population and do not guarantee the same performance in every patient.
Detecting Small Amounts of Tumour DNA
Whole-genome sequencing examines DNA across the genome, while whole-exome sequencing focuses on regions associated primarily with protein production.
In an analysis involving 157 patients who received both testing approaches, the whole-genome sequencing test detected tumour DNA in 15 additional patients beyond those identified by the earlier method.
These findings indicate that the newer approach may identify very low levels of cancer-related DNA in blood samples. Such detection could be valuable because residual disease may remain difficult to identify after surgery.
The study also found that patients with detectable circulating tumour DNA after surgery had a substantially higher risk of recurrence than patients whose tests did not detect it. This supports further investigation into the role of blood-based testing in post-treatment cancer monitoring.
Potential Benefits for Personalised Cancer Care
More sensitive testing could provide doctors with additional information when assessing a patient’s condition after surgery. Depending on the wider clinical picture, this information may support decisions about follow-up appointments, additional examinations and monitoring strategies.
However, a negative test does not completely rule out the possibility of recurrence. Doctors must consider test results alongside medical history, imaging, pathology and other relevant clinical findings.
Further research is also needed to establish whether using these test results to guide treatment decisions improves long-term patient outcomes.
What the Findings Mean for Colorectal Cancer Detection
Abbott’s latest Oncodetect findings demonstrate the potential of whole-genome sequencing to improve the detection of colorectal cancer recurrence following surgery. The reported increase in sensitivity highlights progress in blood-based cancer testing and personalised disease monitoring. Additional studies will help determine how these results can best support clinical decisions and improve patient care.
The company notes that the Oncodetect test has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The findings should therefore be viewed as clinical research evidence rather than proof of improved survival or a guarantee of treatment benefit.
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