Fragle is capable of detecting minimal residual disease (MRD), which facilitates the early identification of potential relapses following surgery and treatment.

Dr. Wan Yue expressed optimism about Fragle's potential to enhance cancer care not only in Singapore but also on a global scale.

The method has demonstrated high reliability across various cancer types and blood samples from hundreds of patients, ensuring it aligns well with standard DNA profiling techniques.

Scientists at the A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore have introduced an innovative AI-based method named 'Fragle' that promises faster and more affordable cancer monitoring through blood tests.

Fragle's AI model effectively identifies distinct size patterns in cancer DNA, allowing for monitoring costs to drop below SGD $50, a significant reduction from the over SGD $1000 typically required for conventional tests.

Currently, an ongoing study involving over 100 patients is monitoring circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) levels every two months during treatment, aiming to catch early signs of relapse and evaluate therapy responses.

Dr. Anders Skanderup highlighted the initiative's goal to simplify cancer monitoring, making it more accessible without adding strain to clinical workflows.

In contrast, traditional methods for measuring ctDNA are often complex, costly, and can produce inconsistent results due to variations in patient-specific mutations.

Fragle requires only a small blood sample to analyze DNA fragment sizes, effectively distinguishing cancer DNA from healthy DNA to accurately track treatment responses.

The A*STAR team is working to enhance Fragle's sensitivity for detecting lower levels of cancer DNA and is collaborating with the National Cancer Center Singapore to explore its clinical applications.