Researchers at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center unveiled a liquid‑biopsy approach that measures epigenetic variability—random fluctuations in DNA methylation patterns—to detect early‑stage cancers. The method departs from conventional level‑based methylation assays and instead quantifies epigenetic instability as a biomarker for tumor presence, yielding promising sensitivity for early disease in published results. If validated in larger cohorts, the assay could expand screening options across cancer types and improve early detection rates. Diagnostics developers and trial designers should watch for external validation datasets and prospective clinical studies aiming to convert the method into a regulatory‑grade test.