Revolutionary Cancer Test Spots 25% More Tumour Recurrences
A cutting-edge new test called ColoNode has smashed the UK standard for spotting colorectal cancer spread after surgery — detecting 25% more patients at risk of tumour recurrence. The findings come from a major multicentre study led by Umeå University and eight Swedish hospitals, published in the International Journal of Cancer.
“ColoNode can help more patients survive and avoid unnecessary treatment,” says Lina Olsson, CEO of Umeå-based HiloProbe, the company behind the tech. “This is the strongest evidence yet that this test could be a game-changer.”
ColoNode Outclasses Standard Tissue Tests
Currently, lymph node analysis relies on light microscopy of thin tissue slices stained with hematoxylin and eosin. This method checks if cancer cells have spread to nearby lymph nodes—a key predictor if surgery alone will cure the patient or if further treatment like chemo is needed.
ColoNode, however, uses molecular RT-PCR technology to scan entire lymph nodes for specific cancer biomarkers. It then calculates and categorises the risk level through a unique web-based software — assessing not just presence but how aggressive the tumour cells are, something standard methods can’t do.
Three Years of Data Prove ColoNode’s Edge
In the study, lymph nodes from each patient were split in two. One half tested with ColoNode, the other with the classic method. The team waited three years for follow-up relapse data before comparing results.
“We found ColoNode identified all patients flagged by the standard test — plus nine more, equating to a 25% boost in detecting tumour recurrence,”
“Moreover, we can now sort patients into low, medium, high, and very high risk groups based on tumour aggressiveness,”
Olsson explained.
This precision means doctors can tailor postoperative treatments better — cutting down the risk of both undertreating and overtreating patients.
European Launch Set to Save Lives
Now backed by robust clinical proof, HiloProbe is pushing ColoNode hard into European markets. In May, they inked a deal with Belgian diagnostics firm Biocartis to distribute ColoNode across key countries, while maintaining Nordic sales themselves.
Olsson concluded:
“It feels fantastic to have such promising results. We’re eager to share this breakthrough with healthcare providers across Europe and give more colorectal cancer patients a fighting chance.”
