Abbott Launches Cancerguard® in Japan

Analyzes biomarkers related to 50 types of cancer from a single blood sample

Japan is the first overseas market for the company's offering, following its U.S. introduction in 2025

Sold through partner medical institutions

July 1, 2026 – Abbott (Abbott Park, Illinois, USA) announced today the launch of Cancerguard, a blood test for Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED), in Japan. This makes Japan the first country outside the United States to have the test offered by the company.

Cancer remains the leading cause of death in Japan and a significant public health challenge. According to a report from the National Cancer Center (1), approximately 1 in 2 people in Japan will develop cancer in their lifetime, and about 1 in 4 will die from cancer. While Japan has screening programs for breast, colorectal, cervical, lung, and stomach cancers, many cancers are difficult to detect before symptoms appear. Therefore, research into new approaches to complement existing screenings is underway.

Cancerguard is intended to complement, not replace, existing cancer screenings, and therefore its provision through medical institutions is mandatory to ensure adequate explanation of the test's purpose and interpretation of results. This test detects biomarkers (DNA and proteins derived from cancer cells) for 50 cancer types and subtypes from a single blood draw, providing information to assist healthcare professionals in their evaluation.

Cancerguard is based on approximately 10 years of research and development conducted in collaboration with leading academic research institutions. Multiple clinical studies have been conducted involving over 20,000 participants, including the DETECT-A trial (2), a prospective study evaluating MCED tests.

In development studies (3), Cancerguard has reported the following results (test data from specific clinical studies):

Specificity of 97.4%, helping to minimize false positives and unnecessary follow-up tests

Sensitivity of 64.1% for the targeted cancers excluding breast and prostate cancer

Sensitivity for 6 deadly cancers: 80% for biliary tract cancer, 78% for pancreatic cancer, 73% for stomach cancer, 71% for ovarian cancer, 63% for esophageal cancer, and 63% for lung cancer.

"We are proud that Japan is the first country outside the U.S. to offer Cancerguard," said Stefan Pere, Japan Country Manager for Abbott Cancer Diagnostics. "Cancer continues to affect many patients and their families in Japan. By providing this technology, we aim to contribute to the advancement of early cancer detection research and support healthcare professionals in making appropriate decisions."

Physician-led testing system

Blood samples for Cancerguard collected in Japan will be analyzed at Exact Sciences Laboratories in the United States. This facility is a laboratory certified by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and accredited under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) regulations.

For individuals with positive results, Abbott will provide care navigation to support understanding of the test results and to help them take appropriate next steps in consultation with their healthcare provider.

About Cancerguard

Cancerguard is a Laboratory Developed Test (LDT) intended to provide information to assist healthcare professionals in their evaluation. The test analyzes a panel of multiple biomarkers from a single blood draw to identify cancer-related signals across more than 50 cancer types and subtypes. The test is not a substitute for diagnosis, and medical decisions are made by physicians.

Cancerguard is currently available as a self-pay service through designated medical institutions in Japan. The number of participating medical institutions is expected to expand in the coming months. For more information about Cancerguard and participating medical institutions, please visit the website (https://www.cancerguard.jp/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/cancerguard.jp/), YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@Cancerguard-Japan), or consult your doctor.

The introduction of Cancerguard marks a significant milestone in Abbott's commitment to expanding access to innovative cancer screening technologies and advancing early cancer detection worldwide.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live their fullest lives through the discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing of a broad range of healthcare innovations. Abbott’s life-changing technologies span the spectrum of healthcare, with leading products and services in diagnostics, medical devices, nutrition, and branded generic pharmaceuticals. Abbott employs approximately 122,000 people in more than 160 countries.

Visit Abbott (www.abbott.com), Abbott Japan (www.abbott.co.jp), LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/abbott-/), Facebook (www.facebook.com/Abbott), Instagram (www.instagram.com/abbottglobal), X (x.com/AbbottNews), YouTube (www.youtube.com/c/abbott), and YouTube Japan (www.youtube.com/@abbottjapan) for more information.

References

(1) National Cancer Center, Cancer Information Service, "Latest Cancer Statistics," updated April 27, 2026. https://ganjoho.jp/reg_stat/statistics/stat/summary.html

(2) Lennon AM, Buchanan AH, Kinde I, et al. Feasibility of blood testing combined with PET-CT to screen for cancer and guide intervention. Science. Doi:10.1126/science. abb9601.

(3) Cancerguard Clinician Brochure. Exact Sciences Corporation. Madison, WI.