EARLYSCAN – a PREDI‑LYNCH perspective
EARLYSCAN (Early Screening and Hereditary Cancer Awareness Network) is a European project cluster established under the EU Mission on Cancer to strengthen prevention, early detection and surveillance for people with inherited cancer risk.
Within EARLYSCAN, PREDI‑LYNCH works alongside the SHIELD and DISARM projects to address shared challenges in early detection across different hereditary cancer syndromes. Rather than operating in isolation, the three Horizon Europe–funded projects collaborate to align methodologies, share knowledge and accelerate translation of research into real clinical practice.
Why EARLYSCAN matters for PREDI‑LYNCH
People with inherited cancer predisposition represent a clear opportunity for earlier detection and improved outcomes. However, effective early detection requires more than a single test or technology. It depends on a complete and coordinated pathway, including:
- identification of individuals at increased genetic risk
- recruitment into appropriate surveillance programmes
- longitudinal testing and monitoring
- clear return of results and structured clinical follow‑up
EARLYSCAN provides a framework for addressing this full pathway at a European level. For PREDI‑LYNCH, this ensures that evidence generated for people with Lynch syndrome is comparable across countries, scalable across health systems and relevant for future clinical implementation.
PREDI‑LYNCH within the EARLYSCAN cluster
PREDI‑LYNCH focuses on early cancer detection in individuals with Lynch syndrome, the most common hereditary cancer predisposition. The project combines non‑invasive liquid biopsy approaches with artificial intelligence to enable earlier detection across multiple Lynch‑associated cancer types.
In parallel, PREDI‑LYNCH places strong emphasis on ethical, social and healthcare system considerations, ensuring that innovation is aligned with patient needs, regulatory requirements and real‑world clinical practice.
Through EARLYSCAN, PREDI‑LYNCH collaborates with SHIELD (pancreatic cancer) and DISARM (hereditary ovarian cancer) to develop shared, cross‑cutting assets that extend beyond any single cancer type. These include:
- harmonised definitions of high‑risk populations and clinical pathways
- aligned approaches to recruitment, surveillance and outcome reporting
- shared ethics and GDPR‑compliant frameworks
- common principles for data interoperability and responsible use of AI
- coordinated communication and dissemination activities
This collaboration allows results from PREDI‑LYNCH to be interpreted alongside findings from other hereditary cancer contexts, strengthening the overall evidence base for early detection.
SHIELD focuses on early detection and surveillance of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in individuals with familial or genetic risk. The project is validating a novel blood‑based multiplex immunoassay in a multi‑centre European study and works closely with clinicians, screening authorities and patient organisations to support future integration into healthcare systems.
DISARM addresses hereditary ovarian cancer by combining improved risk assessment with affordable liquid biopsy approaches for early detection. Validated across multiple European countries, the project places strong emphasis on practical implementation, healthcare adoption and reducing inequalities in access to early detection.