We were passionately curious about the limits of oncology. Why is early cancer detection such a big challenge? Why are some cancers refractory to some drugs? 

What are we not seeing? was a question we returned to again and again. We began to question conventional wisdom that the cancer tissue is sterile. How could it be sterile, we wondered, if cancer cells are found within the human body, which developed in a mostly microbial world? 

For four billion years, our planet was mostly bugs, with humans arriving at the eleventh hour. A universe containing up to two million microbial genes (100x the human gene number!) and the potential to work for or against a person’s health and well-being. Since we have more microbial genes than human ones, could that mean we might be able to detect cancer with the help of microbiome? It was an idea worth exploring. So we broadened our vision, zooming out from past cancer research, which focuses on the human genome, to see the bigger picture. What we discovered is that each cancer is a microbial world unto itself. 

The cancer microbiome was always there, but the technology and multidisciplinary team weren’t – until now.  And with that realization, Micronoma was born.  

Using next generation sequencing and AI, Micronoma has created a microbiome-driven liquid biopsy, now granted FDA Breakthrough Designation Device status for lung carcinoma detection. It picks up on microbial signatures in the blood that are coming from the cancer microbiome itself. To help physicians detect early stage cancer sooner than ever before. To give patients a less invasive way to find out if a nodule is benign or cancerous. And to change the way we see cancer for good. 

We’ve discovered that where you look for answers can make a world of difference– inside and out.  We are Micronoma, and we are bringing early stage cancer to the test.