Smarter, Cheaper, Faster AI Tool for Cancer Monitoring: Study Finds

Fragle’s AI model can distinguish between healthy and cancerous DNA by analyzing fragment size patterns, using only a small amount of DNA. Fragle offers a faster and potentially more affordable way to monitor cancer through blood tests. “Just as scientists tracked COVID-19 outbreaks by detecting viral particles in wastewater, Fragle analyzes DNA fragments in blood to monitor cancer treatment response and detect relapse early,” explains Dr. Anders Skanderup, Senior Principal Scientist at A*STAR GIS and lead author of the study.

The method has been tested on hundreds of patient samples across various cancer types and is compatible with most hospital DNA profiling systems, allowing for rapid integration into clinical practice. Importantly, Fragle can detect minimal residual disease (MRD)—tiny traces of cancer left after treatment—helping catch relapse earlier than imaging scans.

Reference: Zhu, G., Rahman, C.R., Getty, V. et al. A deep-learning model for quantifying circulating tumour DNA from the density distribution of DNA-fragment lengths. Nat. Biomed. Eng 9, 307–319 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41551-025-01370-3