Study Finds Blood-Based Breast Cancer Detection Can Create Value for Patients and Healthcare Systems

Blood test associated small tumor detection and increased screening participation are drivers of cost effective outcomes

CALGARY, AB, Aug. 5, 2026 /CNW/ -- A Syantra Inc. co-authored health economic analysis, first published online July 25, 2026 in the journal Clinical Breast Cancer, reports how an investigational whole blood RNA test may complement existing breast imaging leading to better health and cost outcomes.

The study investigated the impacts of blood test enabled increased detection of small invasive cancers and increased participation in biennial screening in order to model cost impacts within the healthcare system. The study used lifetime health economic modeling to compare breast cancer screening strategies in women with dense breasts.

The publication is the first to evaluate the potential impacts of incorporating a blood test into existing breast screening pathways. This is critical, as existing breast screening imaging has gaps in small tumor detection and participation by eligible populations, opening the door to the use of new technologies. Women with dense breasts, representing half of all women, tend to have lower detection of small tumors and may particularly benefit from supplementing mammography with a blood test. A key feature is the cost of the test, targeted at $512 USD in the study, which is significantly less than other blood tests entering the market that can cost upwards of $3,000 USD. Decreasing the costs for early detection blood tests has been a challenge across the industry.

Syantra's Onco-ID^TM Breast test is based on a platform that enables market scale through robust multiplex qPCR and machine learning derived software, which has a much lower unit cost per test than other technologies. Syantra's test, the first of its kind to measure cancer cell mediated immune system changes, provides important information to inform follow-up diagnostic breast imaging.

"One of the greatest challenges in breast cancer detection is finding cancer when it is most treatable," said Rob Lozuk, Chief Executive Officer of Syantra. "For millions of women, that remains a significant unmet need, and we are tackling it head on. With our early clinical performance data, we expect to take advantage of the benefits outlined in the health economics study, focused on strong performance for stage 1 detection." 

Using a lifetime Markov health economic model, the study compared three biennial screening strategies beginning at age 40: mammography alone, blood screening alone, and a combined blood screening plus mammography approach.

The analysis projects that, for women with dense breasts, a blood screening strategy generated better lifetime health outcomes at lower healthcare cost than mammography alone under the modeled assumptions. These findings suggest that blood-based screening may offer a dual benefit--supporting earlier detection while improving healthcare resource utilization.

Eldon Spackman, Associate Professor at the University of Calgary and co-senior author of the study said, "Our objective with this study was to evaluate how a blood-based test might be effectively integrated into breast screening pathways. The results show some exciting possibilities for use of the test to complement mammography or as an option for those not currently screening regularly."

Syantra's Lozuk is excited to move to real-world testing, "Our upcoming early access programs will be the first of their kind to perform blood testing in conjunction with imaging in women with elevated risk and for those who don't regularly screen. We are eager to demonstrate what we believe to be the advantages of the Onco-ID Breast testing approach."

The authors emphasize that the analysis is exploratory and intended to inform future clinical and health economic research. "The study provides an early framework for evaluating how blood-based screening technologies could contribute to future breast cancer screening pathways, particularly for women with dense breasts", said Dr. Edith A. Perez, Professor Emeritus, Mayo Clinic.

About the Study
Jacie T. Cooper , Alan Hollingsworth , Randy D. Moore , Cheryl Croft, John Schneider, Kristina D. Rinker, Eldon Spackman, Cost-effectiveness of biennial breast screening in women with dense breasts: exploratory analysis of pathways incorporating an emerging blood RNA test, Clinical Breast Cancer (2026), DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2026.07.029

About Syantra Inc.
Syantra is pioneering a new approach to blood-based cancer detection by measuring the body's RNA response to disease. The company believes the future of cancer detection will be defined not only by detecting cancer earlier, but by improving access to earlier detection for more people. Its proprietary blood RNA platform, Onco-ID^TM, is being developed to complement existing screening pathways, beginning with breast cancer, where current methods have well-recognized limitations. Through rigorous clinical validation, health economic research and partnerships with healthcare leaders, Syantra is building the evidence needed to support the next generation of cancer detection. Syantra is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. For more information visit https://www.syantra.com.

SOURCE Syantra Inc.

Media Contact: Rob Lozuk, ([email protected])