Pancreatic Cancer
Learn About The SAFE-D Study
In this interview, Dr. Victoria Goss, PhD, Associate Professor of Early Diagnosis and Translational Research, and Head of Early Diagnosis and Translational Group at the
November 4, 2025
The Avantect Pancreatic Cancer Test offers the chance to detect pancreatic cancer early in high-risk patients such as those aged ≥50 with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.
In this interview, Dr. Victoria Goss, PhD, Associate Professor of Early Diagnosis and Translational Research, and Head of Early Diagnosis and Translational Group at the
The realm of cancer detection has seen notable advancements, with tests designed to detect a myriad of cancers and those precision-engineered for specific ones. A question then emerges: for a condition as critical as pancreatic cancer, should one lean towards a multi-cancer detection test like Grail’s Galleri or a targeted test like Avantect? Here’s why we advocate the latter.
The realm of cancer detection has seen notable advancements, with tests designed to detect a myriad of cancers and those precision-engineered for specific ones. A question then emerges: for a condition as critical as pancreatic cancer, should one lean towards a multi-cancer detection test like Grail’s Galleri or a targeted test like Avantect? Here’s why we advocate the latter.
In the ever-evolving landscape of medical diagnostics, the question is not just about “How do you test for pancreatic cancer?” but “What’s the most effective way to test for it?”
Among the tools available for pancreatic cancer testing, the biomarker CA19-9 has gained attention for its potential role in monitoring and diagnosis of the disease. In this blog post, we’ll explore what CA19-9 is, how it is used in pancreatic cancer testing, and its limitations as a biomarker.
Pancreatic cancer is a serious disease with more than 60,000 new cases each year in the U.S. and with expanded impact, that affects a substantial number of people. It’s the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and it’s predicted to become the second leading cause by 2030.
The Avantect Pancreatic Cancer Test is an early detection test. The test does not establish a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, and results should be considered in the context of other clinical criteria. Definitive diagnosis of pancreatic cancer usually requires a series of imaging scans, blood tests, and a biopsy. Not all pancreatic cancers will be detected. Some patients with pancreatic cancer may have a “Signal not detected” result. Some patients without pancreatic cancer may have a “Signal detected” result. False-negative and false-positive results are possible. A “Signal not detected” result does not guarantee that no pancreatic cancer is present. In some cases, no result is obtained. While this is very uncommon, it may be caused by shipping delays or when there is not enough cell-free DNA for the test in the patient’s blood. If this happens, we generally ask for a repeat blood sample for testing at no extra cost.
The test was developed in the ClearNote Health CLIA-certified (CLIA# 05D2249973) and CAP-accredited (CAP# 9219174) laboratory and has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).