Researchers at the University of Chicago developed a liquid biopsy test that analyzes modification patterns in microbiome-derived cell-free RNA in plasma to detect colorectal cancer. Utilizing low-input multiple methylation sequencing (LIME-seq), the assay discriminates cancer patients with 77% accuracy, outperforming current non-invasive commercial tests. This novel approach focuses on RNA chemical modifications as biomarkers, providing a sensitive, early-stage detection tool that overcomes limitations of low tumor DNA levels in blood.