Exact Sciences to Present New Molecular Residual Disease and Multi-Cancer Early Detection Data at AACR 2026

Key Terms

molecular residual disease medical

Molecular residual disease is the tiny amount of cancer that can remain in the body after treatment and is detectable only by sensitive tests that find cancer DNA or other molecular traces. It matters to investors because these measurements can predict relapse, guide whether additional therapy is needed, and shape the market for diagnostics and drugs—much like finding embers after a fire helps decide if more firefighting is required.

multi-cancer early detection medical

A multi-cancer early detection test is a medical screening tool—often a simple blood test—that looks for biological signals, such as abnormal DNA or protein patterns, that could indicate many different cancers before symptoms appear. For investors it matters because successful tests can reshape demand for diagnostics, influence healthcare spending and insurance coverage, and create new revenue streams or risks for companies across diagnostics, treatment and screening services; think of it as a smoke alarm that can warn of problems throughout an entire house rather than just one room.

circulating tumor dna medical

Fragments of DNA shed by cancer cells into the bloodstream that act like tiny fingerprints of a tumor; they can be detected with a blood test rather than a biopsy. Investors care because circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) enables faster, lower-cost ways to detect disease, track treatment response, identify emerging resistance and enroll patients in trials—factors that can materially affect the commercial prospects of diagnostics and therapeutics.

ctdna medical

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is tiny fragments of genetic material shed by cancer cells into the bloodstream, like breadcrumbs that can reveal a tumor’s presence and genetic makeup without needing a biopsy. For investors, ctDNA matters because tests and technologies that detect and analyze these fragments can speed diagnosis, track treatment response, and signal relapse, creating commercial opportunities in diagnostics, personalized therapies, and monitoring services.

triple-negative breast cancer medical

Triple-negative breast cancer is a type of breast cancer that lacks three common markers used to identify and treat the disease effectively. Because it doesn’t respond to some targeted therapies, it can be more difficult to treat and may have a more aggressive progression. This impacts the development of new treatments and can influence the outlook for healthcare companies involved in cancer research and pharmaceuticals.

pathologic complete response medical

Pathologic complete response is the finding, after pre-surgery cancer treatment, that no detectable invasive tumor cells remain in the removed tissue and nearby lymph nodes. It matters to investors because it is an objective sign that a therapy worked well before long-term outcomes are known, much like a cleared garden showing a weed-killer worked; strong rates can speed regulatory approval, boost adoption and drive a drug’s commercial prospects.

distant recurrence-free interval medical

Distant recurrence-free interval is the length of time after initial cancer treatment during which the disease does not come back in a different part of the body (metastasis). For investors, it’s a key measure of a therapy’s ability to delay or prevent serious relapse—longer intervals suggest stronger clinical benefit, which can improve a drug’s regulatory prospects, adoption by doctors, and commercial value. Think of it like the warranty period before a major problem reappears.

methylation medical

Methylation is a chemical process where small tags called methyl groups attach to DNA or proteins, altering how genes are read without changing the underlying genetic code. Investors monitor methylation because patterns can serve as diagnostic markers, drug targets, or measures of treatment response in biotech and healthcare—think of them as sticky notes or light switches that change biological behavior and can affect a product’s development, approval and market value.

The Oncodetect^® test expands the role of tumor-informed MRD in triple-negative breast cancer

The Cancerguard^® test demonstrates improved early-stage multi-cancer detection performance

MADISON, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Exact Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ: EXAS), a leading provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, today announced four presentations at the 2026 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting highlighting new data in molecular residual disease (MRD) testing and multi-cancer early detection (MCED). The meeting will take place from April 17–22, 2026, in San Diego, CA.

Exact Sciences will present new findings from the NSABP B-59/GBG-96-GeparDouze trial evaluating its tumor-informed circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) test, Oncodetect^®, in early triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), along with updated performance data from its multi-biomarker class MCED program supporting the Cancerguard^® test. Together, these results reinforce the company’s strategy to help detect cancer earlier and monitor disease after treatment.

“Our goal is to use molecular information to guide cancer care at every stage,” said Jorge Garces, Ph.D., chief scientific officer at Exact Sciences. “By combining tumor-informed ctDNA analysis with multi-biomarker detection approaches, we’re building tools that give clinicians a clearer view of cancer biology and how disease evolves over time.”

Detailed information on the AACR presentations is provided below:

Expanding the clinical utility of MRD detection in breast and colorectal cancer

Title: Whole-exome sequencing tumor-informed circulating tumor DNA detection after completion of neoadjuvant treatment predicts non-pCR and distant recurrence in patients with early triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)—Results from a sub-study of the NSABP B-59/GBG-96-GeparDouze Trial
Presenter: Dr. Marija Balic
Session: Saturday, April 18, 2026. Aiming for Cure: Perioperative Clinical Trials
Oral number: CT013
Key findings: Pre-surgery ctDNA status following neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) was strongly associated with both pathologic complete response (pCR) and distant recurrence-free interval (dRFI). These results highlight the potential utility of post-NAT presurgical ctDNA status as an early indicator of treatment resistance and risk stratification.

Title: Investigating the value of testing for actionable alterations and circulating tumor DNA in breast and colorectal cancers
Presenter: Dr. Gargi Basu
Session: Monday, April 20, 2026. Molecular/Cellular Biology and Genetics: Genomic Profiling to Understand Cancer Biology
Poster number: 3243
Location: Poster section 22
Key findings: Comprehensive tumor profiling identified actionable genomic alterations in nearly all breast and colorectal cancer patients tested for ctDNA. Approximately half of the samples had at least one alteration associated with FDA-approved therapies.

Advancing multi-cancer early detection with multi-biomarker innovation

Title: Performance of an optimized methylation-protein multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test classifier
Session: Sunday, April 19, 2026, Clinical Research, Early Detection Biomarkers 1
Poster number: 1109
Location: Poster section 43
Key findings: An optimized methylation–protein (MP V2) multi-cancer early detection classifier demonstrated improved early-stage sensitivity compared with the prior version while maintaining high specificity, supporting its potential to enhance detection of cancers at earlier, more treatable stages.

Title: The complementary contributions of methylation and protein biomarker classes in a multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test
Session: Sunday, April 19, 2026, Clinical Research, Early Detection Biomarkers 1
Poster number: 1108
Location: Poster section 43
Key findings: Results presented demonstrate that methylation and protein biomarker classes provide complementary and independent contributions to cancer signal detection, particularly in early-stage disease, supporting the value of a multi-biomarker approach in MCED testing.

About Exact Sciences Corp.

A leading provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, Exact Sciences helps patients and health care providers make timely, informed decisions before, during, and after a cancer diagnosis. The company’s growing portfolio includes well-established brands such as Cologuard^® and Oncotype DX^®, along with innovative solutions like Cancerguard^® for blood-based analysis of molecular information across multiple cancers and Oncodetect® for molecular residual disease and recurrence monitoring. Exact Sciences continues to invest in a robust pipeline of advanced cancer diagnostics aimed at improving outcomes. For more information, visit ExactSciences.com, follow @ExactSciences on X, or connect on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements concerning our expectations, anticipations, intentions, beliefs, or strategies regarding the future. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that we have made as of the date hereof and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, conditions and events to differ materially from those anticipated. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that may affect our forward-looking statements are described in the Risk Factors sections of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and in our other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

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Media Contact:

Lisa Warshaw

lwarshaw@exactsciences.com

323-360-8778

Investor Contact:

Derek Leckow

investorrelations@exactsciences.com

608-893-0009

Source: Exact Sciences Corp.