UCLA researchers reported progress on MethylScan, a low-cost blood test designed to simultaneously detect multiple cancers, liver disorders, and other organ abnormalities using circulating cell-free DNA methylation patterns. The work, described in PNAS, builds on the concept that DNA fragments shed from different tissues can carry organ-specific epigenetic signals. The team reported early results from studies involving more than 1,000 people, positioning the approach as a potentially affordable alternative to mutation-focused panels that can require deeper sequencing for low-signal detection. The authors highlighted the methylation strategy as a way to broaden detectable conditions without relying on a single cancer mutation. If validated in larger, prospective cohorts, the method could reshape front-end screening strategies and complement existing liquid biopsy platforms that are typically disease- and mutation-specific.