Why study MCED tests? About the Investigators of the Sentinel Study

Link to Article: https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2025/02/early-cancer-detection-studies-for-high-risk-people/

The Sentinel study, led by O’Donnell and Marinac and funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, is working with military veterans, including those: 

• Over age 45. 

• Who were on active-duty military service for eight or more years. 

• Received care at a Veterans Administration facility within the past five years. 

“There’s accumulating evidence suggesting that veterans are exposed to carcinogens during military service and have a diverse array of cancers at younger ages,” says Marinac.  

This study will screen 1,500 people from this veteran population to evaluate the number of types of cancers detected by the test. The study will also collect information about their service history and potential exposures to learn more. 

Today, MCED tests are being offered directly to consumers: They can be prescribed through a healthcare provider that is familiar with the test or through an online medical consultation. They are available to anyone willing to pay for the test. However, there are some concerns about follow-up care in the case of a positive test.   At the article above, you can read more from our Sentinel Study Principle Investigators, Catherine Marinac, PhD, and Elizabeth (Betsy) O'Donnell, MD. EXCERPT: What are the goals of the studies? 

The idea behind these studies is twofold. First, the investigators want to know if MCED tests yield better results for patients. If cancer is detected early and follow-up and treatment are rapid and well-coordinated at a place like Dana-Farber, which specializes in early detection and intervention, will patients have better outcomes than if they had not been diagnosed early?  

In particular, the Sentinel study will work with the Department of Defense to create a “synthetic” control group. That is, it won’t enroll people who do not take the test. Rather, the researchers construct a control population of individuals meeting key eligibility criteria in the screening arm, to which the screening group will be compared. The researchers will a matching process to ensure that the control population mimics the characteristics of the group that is being screened with the MCED test.  

“This synthetic control will enable us to compare this new type of early screening to standard screening so we can determine if we see evidence of a benefit,” says Marinac. “Will we see a signal that is so strong that it suggests the test is beneficial, or will the signal suggest that the test won’t move the needle in terms of cancer outcomes?” 

The second question is whether these tests cause increased anxiety. Taking an MCED test brings the possibility of cancer into sharp focus when, without the test, cancer would just be a vague possibility. Is the benefit of early detection substantial enough to justify the anxiety?