Multi-cancer early detection revisited: insights and lessons from the PATHFINDER 2 study

The PATHFINDER 2 trial confirms that multi-cancer early detection is transitioning from a conceptual innovation to a clinical reality. However, the data also underscore that technological feasibility does not equate to clinical justification, considering also that multi-cancer early detection tests have not yet undergone evaluation of safety and efficacy in randomized controlled trials. Looking ahead, the optimal use of these technologies may hence be driven by a paradigm shift, involving targeted implementation in high-risk populations, rather than widespread application to the general public. Only through robust, long-term randomized clinical trials, demonstrating reductions in cancer-specific mortality and cost-effective utilization of healthcare resources, will multi-cancer early detection testing gain a clear role in preventive oncology.