Testing Process for the Oncodetect® Molecular Residual Disease Test

For patients

Testing process

Learn more about how the test works, including your blood draw options, how to access your results, and what to discuss with your doctor.

What to expect once your doctor orders the test

The Oncodetect test looks for tiny fragments of cancer DNA in your blood, which can help you understand your risk of recurrence and monitor your response to therapy or surgery.

Step 1

Your doctor will send in a sample of your tumor

Using tissue from your tumor (typically removed during surgery or biopsy), we design a personalized profile to look for fragments of tumor DNA in your blood that match the DNA in your tumor sample.

Step 2

You and your doctor will discuss the easiest way to get your blood sample

A patient listening to their healthcare provider.

Your health care provider can manage your blood draw or have Exact Sciences manage it for you. We offer in-office options, as well as home visits. See blood draw options.

After the first test, you and your doctor will determine how often to schedule monitoring blood draws.

Step 3

You’ll get an email or text message to create your patient account^*

A close up of a woman's hands checking her phone.

We’ll send you an email or SMS text message to sign up for an Exact Sciences patient account.† You’ll be able to track your test order, see your test results, get support from customer care, and more.

Step 4

Review the results with your doctor about 4 weeks after your first Oncodetect test

A healthcare provider placing their hand on a smiling patient's shoulder.

Approximately 4 weeks after your initial test (or 10 days after a monitoring test),† you’ll be able to access the results on your Exact Sciences patient account. With each test, your report will build, helping you and your doctor track your cancer over time.

Oncodetect MRD test results can help you understand the status of your cancer after surgery or treatment, if it is at higher risk to recur, and/or how it is responding to therapy.1,2,3

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Managed by your provider

Your doctor may choose to have your blood collected in their office, at an affiliated laboratory, or elsewhere in your health system. 

Managed by Exact Sciences

Alternately, you can go to an Exact Sciences-affiliated lab near you, or we can send a phlebotomist to your home.

View blood draw instructions

Once your doctor orders the Oncodetect MRD test, you’ll receive an email or text to sign up for your Exact Sciences patient account.* Use this account to see your test results as soon as they’re available, as well as track your test order, get support from customer care, and more.

A healthcare provider speaking to a couple.

With the power to track up to 5,000 gene variants4 specific to your tumor tissue, the next-generation Oncodetect test gives you valuable insights into the activity of your cancer. Our “talk to your doc” guide can help you speak with your oncologist about how the test could inform your treatment plan.

Detect tiny fragments of cancer DNA even before a tumor may be detected by standard imaging.1,2

Help you and your doctor make proactive treatment decisions with sensitive detection of fragments of cancer DNA.2

High analytical sensitivity5 can help you stay a step ahead of your cancer.

Call us at +1 888-662-6897.

References and footnotes

Estimated turnaround times based on data on file from previous testing, actual turnaround times may vary.
If your health care provider did not include your mobile phone number or email address when submitting the lab order, you will not receive an SMS message or email from Exact Sciences.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare Coverage Database. LCD—MolDX: Minimal Residual Disease Testing for Cancer. Accessed January 21, 2025. https://www.cms.gov/
Diergaarde B, Young G, Hall DW, Mazloom A, Costa G, Subramaniam S, Palomares M, Garces J, Baehner FL, Schoen RE; and other members of the Exact Sciences MRD Group. Circulating tumor DNA as a marker of recurrence risk in Stage III colorectal cancer: The α‐CORRECT study. Journal of Surgical Oncology.
Dooley et al. Evaluation of whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing tumor-informed circulating tumor DNA MRD assays in patients with early triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with or without olaparib: A prospective sub-study of the PARTNER trial. J Clin Oncol. 44, 570-570(2026).DOI:10.1200/JCO.2026.44.16_suppl.570
Tsvetanova B, et al. Association for Molecular Pathology 2025 Annual Meeting Abstracts. J Mol Diagn. 2025;27 Suppl:S113.
Abbott Cancer Diagnostics. Oncodetect v2 Analytical Specificity. Internal presentation. August 25, 2026

The Oncodetect^® test was developed, and its performance characteristics determined by Genomic Health, Inc. Performance characteristics may not apply in tumor types not included in this test’s clinical validation. The test has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The test is performed at Genomic Health Inc. The Genomic Health Inc. lab performing this test is certified under CLIA regulations and qualified to perform high-complexity clinical laboratory testing.

Oncodetect^® is a registered trademark of the Abbott group of companies. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.

The next-generation Oncodetect^® testing process

What to expect once your doctor orders the test

Step 1

Your doctor will send in a sample of your tumor

Your doctor will send in a sample of your tumor

Step 2

You and your doctor will discuss the easiest way to get your blood sample

You and your doctor will discuss the easiest way to get your blood sample

Step 3

You’ll get an email or text message to create your patient account^*

You’ll get an email or text message to create your patient account^*

Step 4

Review the results with your doctor about 4 weeks after your first Oncodetect test

Review the results with your doctor about 4 weeks after your first Oncodetect test

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You have options for your blood draw, and we can help

Managed by your provider

Managed by Exact Sciences

Activate your patient account to view test results, get support, and more

Discussing the test with your doctor

Have questions?

References and footnotes

What to expect once your doctor orders the test

Step 1

Your doctor will send in a sample of your tumor

Your doctor will send in a sample of your tumor

Step 2

You and your doctor will discuss the easiest way to get your blood sample

You and your doctor will discuss the easiest way to get your blood sample

Step 3

You’ll get an email or text message to create your patient account^*

You’ll get an email or text message to create your patient account^*

Step 4

Review the results with your doctor about 4 weeks after your first Oncodetect test

Review the results with your doctor about 4 weeks after your first Oncodetect test

The next-generation Oncodetect® testing process

What to expect once your doctor orders the test

Step 1

Your doctor will send in a sample of your tumor

Your doctor will send in a sample of your tumor

Step 2

You and your doctor will discuss the easiest way to get your blood sample

You and your doctor will discuss the easiest way to get your blood sample

Step 3

You’ll get an email or text message to create your patient account*

You’ll get an email or text message to create your patient account*

Step 4

Review the results with your doctor about 4 weeks after your first Oncodetect test

Review the results with your doctor about 4 weeks after your first Oncodetect test

Loading component...

You have options for your blood draw, and we can help

Managed by your provider

Managed by Exact Sciences

Activate your patient account to view test results, get support, and more

Discussing the test with your doctor

Have questions?

References and footnotes

What to expect once your doctor orders the test

Step 1

Your doctor will send in a sample of your tumor

Your doctor will send in a sample of your tumor

Step 2

You and your doctor will discuss the easiest way to get your blood sample

You and your doctor will discuss the easiest way to get your blood sample

Step 3

You’ll get an email or text message to create your patient account*

You’ll get an email or text message to create your patient account*

Step 4

Review the results with your doctor about 4 weeks after your first Oncodetect test

Review the results with your doctor about 4 weeks after your first Oncodetect test

The next-generation Oncodetect^® testing process

You’ll get an email or text message to create your patient account^*

You’ll get an email or text message to create your patient account^*

You’ll get an email or text message to create your patient account^*

You’ll get an email or text message to create your patient account^*