Patients

Understanding EarlyCDTTM

How EarlyCDT Works

Cancerous tumors produce protein molecules known as “markers.” These proteins are also called “antigens.”

This is how EarlyCDT works:

  • Antigens are certain byproducts from cancer cells that are produced very early in a tumor's development, and they trigger the body's immune system to respond.
  • The immune system releases autoantibodies to fend off these antigens.
  • The immune system produces many more autoantibodies than the tumor does antigens, making the autoantibodies easier to detect than the antigens.
  • The immune system does not normally produce antibodies against normal tissue proteins; therefore, these autoantibodies can be associated with cancerous tissue antigens.
  • EarlyCDT measures a panel of autoantibodies produced in response to a number of antigens associated with a particular type of tumor.
  • The measurement of autoantibodies may help provide an early indication that a tumor exists.

 

EarlyCDT is performed only in an Oncimmune laboratory using a small blood sample. The Oncimmune USA LLC laboratory follows regulations set forth by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA). Congress enacted these amendments to ensure quality laboratory testing in the United States.

What EarlyCDT Results Mean

Two results are possible from EarlyCDT: positive or negative. A negative EarlyCDT result means that the test did not detect antibodies that are associated with a specific tumor. A negative result is not a conclusion that cancer is not present.

A positive EarlyCDT result indicates that autoantibodies to one or more of the cancer antigens in the EarlyCDT panel exist in quantities exceeding a cutoff value. This suggests that a tumor may be present. Your healthcare provider can combine this information with the results of other tests to aid in the diagnosis of cancer.