Cambridge Healthtech’s 5th Annual
Multi-Cancer Early Detection: Validation and Implementation
A Potential Revolution with Challenges to Overcome
August 25-26, 2026
The promise of multi-cancer early detection testing is that patients would have a single non-invasive test that could detect most types of cancer, and at an earlier stage than typically occurs now. Validating that MCEDs result in significant stage-shifting can be achieved, but it is far from easy and many questions about implementation require further study and experience. Clinical results point to greater detection of more aggressive cancers, which helps address the concern about potential over-diagnosis. The reduced capability to detect cancer at stage 2, much less at stage 1, compared to detection of later stages, and lower sensitivity for certain types of cancer, is concerning, but steady improvement in this performance can be expected. Adding testing for additional classes of biomarkers might also improve early sensitivity but would add to the cost of already expensive tests. The ability to conduct smaller and shorter clinical trials based on stage-shifting would be very helpful, as relying on the gold standard of reductions in mortality is very slow and expensive. As detection of more cases at earlier stages occurs, it will become more important to be able to better differentiate between aggressive and more benign cases. Greater early cancer detection may also increase demand for therapeutics that are less toxic than many drugs aimed at treatment of stage 3 or 4 cancers. Looking even further out, what is the potential for adding biomarkers for early detection of other health conditions, besides cancer, for an even broader early detection screen?
Coverage will include, but is not limited to:
- Updates of the development and validation of MCED assays
- Different biomarker classes (methylated DNA, mRNA miRNA, proteins, metabolites, and multiomic)
- Effectiveness of tissue-of-origin predictions
- Health economics and the impact on pricing, accessibility, and equity
- Update on legislation and reimbursement prospects
- Predicting patients at higher risk for specific cancers to enable earlier screening
- Better differentiation between aggressive and benign cases
- Clinical trial design considerations for validation of performance
- Experiences with implementation, consumer education, and follow-up
- Market forces between large, well-financed players, and smaller start-ups
- Prospects for early disease detection besides cancer (alone or in combination)
The deadline for priority consideration is February 2, 2026.
All proposals are subject to review by session chairpersons and/or the Scientific Advisory Committee to ensure the overall quality of the conference program. Additionally, as per Cambridge Healthtech’s policy, a select number of vendors and consultants who provide products and services will be offered opportunities for podium presentation slots based on a variety of Corporate Sponsorships.
Opportunities for Participation: