Helio Genomics, the creator of the HelioLiver test, recently evaluated its Multimodal Epigenetic Sequencing Assay (MESA) for colon cancer detection. Their findings suggest that combining cell-free DNA (cfDNA) methylation features and cfDNA fragmentomics-derived features can improve the ability to identify patients who have colon cancer.
In the past decade, alterations in cfDNA methylation patterns have gained wide acceptance as powerful biomarkers for early cancer detection. Helio Genomics specializes in studying and incorporating these biomarkers into their own products. They were one of the first of cfDNA methylation analysis for cancer detection and have incorporated it into their revolutionary products and platform.
The company evaluated MESA for colon cancer detection, which combines cfDNA methylation with features derived from cfDNA fragmentomics, such as nucleosome occupancy, to improve diagnostic performance.
Their study indicated that MESAs combined approach is superior at distinguishing between colon cancer patients and healthy individuals compared to methods that use just cfDNA methylation alone or cfDNA fragmentomics alone.
To conduct this study, blood specimens drawn from 64 subjects with colon cancer and 67 subjects without cancer (as control) were processed using Helio Genomics advanced wet-lab platform, ECLIPSE, which consists of molecular techniques for cfDNA extraction, conversion, library generation and targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS).
Custom bioinformatics pipelines and algorithms were then used to process sequencing data, generate features, and train models.
Helio Genomics study indicates that cfDNA fragmentomics-derived features may carry complementary and additive information to the cfDNA methylation signal. By utilizing improved molecular techniques and analysis methods, it is possible for Helio Genomics to evaluate both cfDNA methylation and cfDNA fragmentomics features that reflect the underlying DNA chromatin structure within a single assay.
“Most cfDNA methylation sequencing-based tests are unidimensional in their approach, focusing on methylation patterns alone,” said Shivani Mahajan, Director of Computational Biology at Helio Genomics. “As a result, they fail to capture the vast depth of epigenetic information present in the cfDNA fragments. Our multimodal approach provides us with a more complete picture of the epigenetic landscape of cancer and enhances our ability to detect cancer early, when curative treatment is possible.”
In summary, it is predicted that this newfound multimodal approach will allow for the development of diagnostic tests with superior performance characteristics compared to current testing methods.
Read the MESA study abstract here: https://heliogenomics.com/news-and-events/multimodal-analysis-of-cfdna-methylation-sequencing-improves-early-colon-cancer
About Helio Genomics
Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Irvine, California, Helio Genomics is a cancer diagnostics technology and test developer. The company focuses on creating and advancing cutting-edge AI-enabled technologies to detect and screen for cancer at its earliest stage, including liver and colon cancer. To learn more, please visit https://heliogenomics.com/.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of experienced healthcare writers and editors, led by managing editor Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare journalism. Since 1998, our team has delivered trusted, high-quality health and wellness content across numerous platforms.
Disclaimer: The content on this site is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as medical, legal, or financial advice. No content published here should be construed as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare or legal professional regarding your specific needs.
See our full disclaimer for more details.
