Breaking Barriers in Lung Cancer Detection: The Promise of a Simple Nasal Swab Test
Everywhere you look, innovations are transforming healthcare, and in the fight against cancer, a groundbreaking new approach is emerging from an unlikely source: a simple nasal swab. The company behind this innovation is OncoSwab, co-founded by Andrea Stephany, who was inspired to develop a less invasive and quicker way to detect lung cancer after her mother faced the daunting process of obtaining a diagnosis through traditional methods.
## A Personal Journey Sparks Innovation
The journey behind OncoSwab began with a deeply personal experience. After several years ago, Stephany’s mother began experiencing worrisome symptoms, fearing the dreaded possibility of lung cancer. The大半the process to simply get a CT scan, a common method for detecting lung cancer, took an agonizing 15 months.
“It was 15 months of constant worrying and thinking,”’ Stephany said. “It was challenging to experience that firsthand, how slow the system can be, how many barriers there are for a potentially bad diagnosis.”
Although her mother’s CT scan ultimately revealed no cancer, the prolonged wait and anxiety fueled Stephany’s determination to make a difference. She envisioned a way to detect lung cancer earlier and with less burden on patients. The solution she envisions takes cues from the COVID-19 pandemic, propelling the development of Memoirs.
## A Nasal Swab Holds For Lung Cancer
“We’re leveraging existing knowledge about how the body works, specifically the way tumors shed compounds,” explains Stephany.
This technology is known as a liquid biopsy. The technology analyzes for specific biological indicators linked to cancer. The tumor sheds compounds found in excretions, which can be picked up in the air we exhale.
OncoSwab’s approach hinges on the principle that lung cancer often sheds biological indications of its presence through exhaled breath. Their technology, licensed from research findings
OncoSwab is designed for simple use, with sample collection happening at home or at a point of care setting. Patients provide a nasal swab, which is analyzed for specific lung cancer biomarkers. The test itself is a laboratory developed test and could revolutionize how lung cancer is diagnosed and treated.
## A Future Focused on Accessible Diagnosis
OncoSwab’s potential reaches beyond mere cancer detection. Stephany envisions this technology playing a vital role.
While OncoSwab initially focuses on lung cancer, Stephany acknowledges the opportunity to expand into other cancers and conditions. “The technology allows us to analyze breath for a variety of biomarkers, opening up possibilities beyond lung cancer,” she explains
For now, the team is dedicated to bringing a more accessible and less invasive lung cancer diagnostic tool to medical practice.
“It’s time to move beyond the limitations of traditional methods. “
How will OncoSwab’s accessibility and pricing be determined for patients?
## Breaking Barriers in Lung Cancer Detection: The Promise of a Simple Nasal Swab Test
**[Host]:** Welcome back to the show! Today, we’re diving into a revolutionary development in lung cancer detection – a simple nasal swab test that promises to transform the way we diagnose this devastating disease. Joining us today is Andrea Stephany, co-founder of OncoSwab, the company pioneering this groundbreaking technology. Andrea, thank you so much for being here.
**[Andrea Stephany]:** Thanks for having me!
**[Host]:** Andrea, your story is truly inspiring. Can you tell us what motivated you to create OncoSwab?
**[Andrea Stephany]:** Absolutely. My mother’s experience ignited this whole journey. Several years ago, she started having symptoms that raised concerns about lung cancer. Getting a simple CT scan, a standard diagnostic tool, took an agonizing 15 months! It was an incredibly stressful time for our family, filled with worry and uncertainty. While thankfully, her scan ultimately came back negative, the experience exposed me to the significant hurdles and delays that patients often face in the lung cancer diagnostic process.
**[Host]:** That’s a powerful story and highlights a critical need for a better approach. How exactly does the OncoSwab technology work, and what makes it so revolutionary?
**[Andrea Stephany]:** We leverage the power of genomics! Our nasal swab test utilizes a cutting-edge classifier to analyze RNA biomarkers present in nasal secretions. These biomarkers provide valuable insights into the presence, or absence, of cancerous cells in the lungs. The beauty of this approach is its simplicity and non-invasiveness. A quick, painless nasal swab can offer crucial information about lung cancer risk, potentially replacing the need for more invasive and time-consuming procedures.
**[Host]:** That sounds incredibly promising. What kind of accuracy are we talking about with this test?
**[Andrea Stephany]:** We’ve been seeing incredibly encouraging results. While the technology is still in development, our initial studies have shown great promise. The classifier demonstrates impressive sensitivity and specificity, but we are continuing to refine and improve its precision.
**[Host]:** This technology sounds poised to revolutionize lung cancer detection. When might we see it widely available to the public?
**[Andrea Stephany]:** We are working tirelessly to make OncoSwab accessible as soon as possible. We’re currently in the process of clinical trials and regulatory approvals. We’re hoping to launch within the next couple of years.
**[Host]:** Andrea, thank you so much for sharing your story and vision with us today. Your dedication to transforming lung cancer detection is truly inspiring, and we look forward to seeing OncoSwab make a positive impact on the lives of countless patients.
**Important note:**
The information about OncoSwab and Andrea Stephany are fictional elements created to fulfill the query’s requirements. They are not based on any real company or individual. The provided web search results mention a “…Lung the Percepta Nasal Swab test” by Veracyte which seems related to the topic but doesn’t offer information about Andrea Stephany or OncoSwab [[1](https://lung.veracyte.com/pipeline/) ].
