The team at Singapore’s A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore has invented a novel artificial intelligence method named Fragle that can identify very low levels of cancer from blood tests. This new technique could make it possible to monitor caregivers for cancer therapy more effectively when testing occurs more rapidly, more frequently, and at a reduced cost.
What Is Fragile and How Does It Work?
Fragle is an AI model created to analyze circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in a patient’s blood. The model works in a similar manner to scientists who tracked COVID-19 in wastewater, as Fragle takes blood samples and looks at DNA fragment sizes to check for signals of cancer. Since ctDNA has a different size pattern than healthy DNA, Fragle uses these variations to quickly and accurately detect cancer presence.
According to Dr. Anders Skanderup, Senior Principal Scientist at A*STAR GIS, the goal was to create an easier and more affordable way to monitor treatment progress. They are often costly and cumbersome, but Fragle streamlines the process without sacrificing precision.
High Accuracy, Low Cost
Fragle was also put to the test with whole-genome sequencing data of cancer patients and healthy volunteers. The data indicate that it is superior compared to current “tumor-naive” approaches through its greater accuracy in detecting even trace levels of ctDNA. It requires only a small blood sample and costs around SGD 50 (roughly $39 USD), significantly lower than the cost of the conventional cancer tests, which cost up to SGD 1000 (about $780 USD).
What makes Fragle especially valuable is the fact that it can be integrated with standard hospital and laboratory systems, which means easy adoption without requiring complicated new infrastructure.
A Step Toward Better Cancer Monitoring
The new AI method opens up the possibility for more regular cancer monitoring. Fragle is simplifying the ability for doctors to assess and monitor more frequently how the treatment is running by decreasing costs and hastening results. It also allows the ability to observe recurrence of the disease sooner by tracking remnants of cancer DNA in the blood after treatment or surgery.
Today, scientists in A*STAR GIS and the National Cancer Centre Singapore are tracking more than 100 cancer patients every two months with Fragle to see how their levels of ctDNA vary during treatment. This kind of real-time information may enable physicians to personalize therapies to patients’ response patterns.
Looking Ahead
The researchers are performing other clinical trials and hope to bring Fragle into more widespread use in hospitals. A*STAR GIS Executive Director Dr. Wan Yue said, “We hope this tool not only improves care in Singapore but also creates a new standard globally for cancer monitoring.”
With its precision, affordability, and speed, Fragle is a promising leap towards more precise and patient-focused cancer treatment.
