On May 26, 2026 Mercy BioAnalytics, Inc., a pioneer in blood-based early cancer detection, reported that it will present two abstracts at the 2026 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting highlighting results from studies using biospecimens from the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) repository.
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The NLST was an NCI-sponsored randomized controlled trial that demonstrated a significant mortality benefit associated with annual low-dose CT-based screening. NLST established a biospecimen repository for the purpose of enabling the validation of early detection lung cancer biomarkers that might augment or replace low-dose CT (LDCT).1 To date, nearly 900 requests for NLST data or biospecimens have been approved.2 To our knowledge, Mercy’s ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) presentation will be the first use of blood specimens from NLST subjects for preliminary validation of early detection lung cancer biomarkers. This work represents an important milestone in advancing blood-based approaches for lung cancer screening and lung nodule triage in elevated-risk subjects.
The first study reports results from a blinded evaluation of a novel blood-based lung cancer screening assay in elevated-risk subjects from the NLST. In this dataset, the blood-based screening assay showed similar sensitivity to low-dose CT across two annual screening encounters and detected lung cancers that were missed by low-dose CT, supporting further evaluation of the assay for lung cancer screening in the elevated-risk population.
The second study reports results from a blinded evaluation of a novel blood-based pulmonary nodule triage assay in elevated-risk subjects from the NLST. Six percent of LDCT-screened subjects in NLST were scored as 3 or 4A using the Lung-RADS framework. Despite a 4% prevalence of cancer in this population, immediate diagnostic workup is not recommended. Mercy’s blood-based assay exhibited 43% sensitivity for the detection of lung cancer in these subjects, supporting further evaluation as a reflex approach for LDCT-detected pulmonary nodules.
"The results of the National Lung Screening Trial documenting a 20% decrease in lung cancer mortality with low-dose CT has led to practice changing recommendations with screening now recommended in high-risk groups. Mercy’s encouraging preliminary results are exactly why the NCI set up the NLST biospecimen repository: to enable validation of promising blood biomarkers. A blood test like Mercy’s could increase lung cancer screening uptake and make evaluation of pulmonary nodules more precise, potentially leading to more lives saved," said Dr. Christine Berg, M.D. the now retired NCI lead investigator on the NLST. "I am excited about these results. I have the good fortune to serve on the Clinical Advisory Board at Mercy and observed the meticulous care with which this work was done."
These results support further evaluation which is now underway of Mercy’s blood-based approaches to lung cancer screening and risk stratification of LDCT-detected pulmonary nodules.
Mercy is continuing to advance blood-based approaches designed to expand access to earlier detection and improve decision-making in lung cancer screening and follow-up.
Presentation details for the two accepted abstracts will be available through the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting program and Mercy’s communications channels as the meeting approaches.
(Press release, Mercy BioAnalytics, MAY 26, 2026, View Source [SID1234666064])