Moncton 
New Brunswick will soon introduce liquid biopsy testing for lung cancer, offering a less invasive alternative to traditional tissue biopsies for patients unable to undergo surgery.
This option will be available to those who are frail or have tumours in challenging locations.
Liquid biopsy, which requires only a blood sample, will allow patients to access testing without the need for travel or recovery time. Samples will be analyzed at the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre in Moncton, but the service will be accessible through both regional health authorities across New Brunswick.
“This is a groundbreaking step, as very few labs in Canada, and none in the Atlantic provinces, have implemented this form of liquid biopsy testing,” said Dr. Rodney Ouellette, medical director of the hospital’s molecular genetics laboratory. Ouellette, who is also a founder of the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute, emphasized that this advancement would help patients with difficult-to-reach tumors access necessary diagnostic care.
The Department of Health will allocate up to $175,000 in the 2024-25 fiscal year to implement the technology. AstraZeneca will contribute $100,000 to help expand testing capacity at the molecular genetics laboratory.
Per the news release, New Brunswick has one of the highest rates of lung cancer in Canada, accounting for about 25% of cancer-related deaths in the province.
The introduction of liquid biopsy testing is expected to ease the burden on the healthcare system and provide timely diagnoses for patients who cannot undergo traditional biopsies.
