AI Blood Assay Detects Liver Cancer Across Diverse International Populations

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center validated an AI-powered blood test that accurately detected liver cancer in people from Guatemala and Romania, two populations with distinct risk factors and causes of the disease. The DELFI liquid biopsy platform analyzes cell-free DNA fragments in blood and identified hepatocellular carcinoma with high performance across both groups, despite differences in underlying causes—viral hepatitis and alcohol use in Romania versus metabolic disease and aflatoxin exposure in Guatemala. The findings, published July 31 in Cell Press Blue, suggest the approach could improve early detection beyond current screening methods like ultrasound and AFP protein testing.