What is Early Detection?

Early detection means identifying the disease before significant symptoms appear, which is ideally before the disease starts spreading to other parts of the body or becomes life-threatening. Early detection is important because treatments will work effectively, increasing your chance at survival. 

Why is it Important?

• Diseases like cancer at an early stage are less aggressive, which require less harsh treatments and better results at surviving

• Early detection can significantly reduce healthcare cost, improve quality of life, and minimize damage to the body

• It is necessary for communities who are greatly affected by the disease like the elder and underserved as chronic diseases start to become more common

Early Detection Device/Innovations:

• Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Tests: Blood tests that can detect many types of cancers, suggest that cancer is present in the body without waiting for symptoms

• Biomarkers for Neurodegenerative Diseases: Indicators like abnormal proteins or fluids that determine early stages of a neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer's 

• Advance Imaging and Wearable Devices: Innovations that collect and analyze data to determine any changes or abnormalities to suggest early signs of diseases

Risks and Challenges:

• Tedium and Complexity: There are billions of biomolecules and components that make it hard to determine which cause a certain type of disease

• Misdiagnoses/False Detection: Detecting abnormalities doesn’t automatically suggest a patient has a disease, which could lead to anxiety and hypochondria (misinterpreting having a disease)

• Inaccessibility: These devices/innovations are typically located in urban areas that have leading hospitals and research centers. Additionally, these innovations are quite expensive and may be unaffordable for underserved communities

With early detection, patients could receive earlier and less invasive treatments and have a better chance of surviving for many diseases. However, accuracy and accessibility needs to be ensured in early detection in order for it to be an effective tool.