# Natera (Signatera) Natera's Signatera is a personalized blood test, built from your tumor, that looks for traces of tumor DNA to check for remaining cancer, track treatment and catch a recurrence earlier. Your doctor orders it. Author: Kevin Wimer Canonical URL: https://kevinwimer.com/companies/natera-signatera/ Stable ID: 4b794255-3c7f-4c3f-88d5-0a8eb3606d6f Revision: 081252ef-cb09-47ef-9a6e-47abd7cf8bcd Published: 2026-10-23T02:28:08.787Z Updated: 2026-10-23T02:28:08.787Z Reviewed: 2026-10-22 ## Who this is for For people with solid tumors, and some lymphomas, whose care team wants to check for remaining cancer, track treatment or watch for recurrence. Your doctor orders it, and tumor tissue is needed to build the test. Signatera is a Natera blood test built from your own tumor. It looks for traces of tumor DNA to show whether cancer is left after treatment, whether treatment is working, or whether it's coming back. ## What they do 1. **Build the test.** Natera sequences your tumor tissue and a normal blood sample once, then designs a test around your cancer's unique mutations. 2. **Check your blood.** After that, each test is a blood draw. The report says whether tumor DNA was found, and how much. 3. **Repeat it.** Doctors often order it every three months. The trend matters as much as any one result. It's a monitoring test, not a way to pick a targeted drug. Standard Signatera is a lab-developed test, not FDA-cleared. In May 2026 the FDA approved a version, Signatera CDx, as a companion diagnostic for atezolizumab in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. ## Who it's for People with solid tumors, and some lymphomas, after surgery or during and after treatment, including people on immunotherapy. A negative result is good news, not a guarantee. It doesn't replace your scans. ## How to start Your doctor orders it. Natera needs stored tumor tissue from a biopsy or surgery, plus blood. The first result takes 3 to 4 weeks, later ones 7 to 10 days. Natera offers mobile blood draws. ## Cost and insurance As of October 2026, Natera doesn't publish a Signatera price. Medicare covers it for stage I–III non-small cell lung cancer surveillance and for tracking immunotherapy response in any solid tumor, plus some colorectal, breast, bladder and ovarian uses. Other uses need a Medicare advance notice (ABN). Natera takes all insurance and has a cash rate. If money's tight, Natera's assistance program can drop the cost to $0–$239 per test for households up to six times the federal poverty level. It can count your medical bills from the past year. ## Questions I would ask 1. What would we do differently if it's positive? Or negative? 2. Is there enough stored tissue to build my test? 3. How often would I be tested, and will insurance cover it? 4. What if a result doesn't match my scans? 5. What will each test cost me? ## Similar companies on this site [Guardant Health](/companies/guardant-health/) also does blood testing, including Guardant Reveal for monitoring. Signatera needs your tissue first, so ask about tissue early. See [Before a biopsy, ask about the tissue](/resources/preserve-tissue/) and [Get the right tumor testing](/resources/tumor-testing/). ## Contacts - Website: [Signatera for patients](https://www.natera.com/oncology/signatera-advanced-cancer-detection/patients/) - Billing and coverage: [natera.com/oncology/billing](https://www.natera.com/oncology/billing/) · 1-844-384-2996 - Financial assistance: [care.natera.com](https://care.natera.com) · text CARE to 636363 · oncologybilling@natera.com - Phone: 650-489-9050 (option 2 for patients) - Email: signaterapc@natera.com (Patient Coordinators) ## Limits and context A monitoring test, not a tool for choosing targeted drugs. It doesn't replace scans, and Medicare coverage depends on cancer type and setting. ## Relationships and disclosures I have no financial or business relationship with Natera. ## Sources - [Signatera for patients](https://www.natera.com/oncology/signatera-advanced-cancer-detection/patients/) — Natera; official; checked 2026-10-22; What Signatera is; tumor-informed design; cancer types; result meanings; does not replace standard follow-up; first result 3-4 weeks, later 7-10 days; standard Signatera not FDA-cleared or approved (lab-developed test). - [Signatera FAQ](https://www.natera.com/oncology/signatera-advanced-cancer-detection/faq/) — Natera; official; checked 2026-10-22; Not for identifying mutations for therapy selection; ask your physician; FFPE tissue and blood tubes; turnaround; generally every 3 months; mobile phlebotomy; contact numbers. - [Signatera overview](https://www.natera.com/oncology/signatera-advanced-cancer-detection/) — Natera; official; checked 2026-10-22; Tissue and matched normal sample required once for personalized design; then blood only; Medicare-covered indications. - [Natera oncology billing and coverage](https://www.natera.com/oncology/billing/) — Natera; official; checked 2026-10-22; Medicare-covered indications; ABN for other uses; all insurance welcome; cash pay rate; financial assistance; billing contacts. - [Natera: expanded financial assistance](https://www.natera.com/resource-library/signatera/expanded-eligibility-for-natera-s-financial-assistance-program/) — Natera; official; checked 2026-10-22; Household income up to 6x federal poverty guidelines; past-12-month medical expenses considered; reduced rate $0-$239; care.natera.com or text CARE to 636363. - [FDA: list of cleared or approved companion diagnostic devices](https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/in-vitro-diagnostics/list-cleared-or-approved-companion-diagnostic-devices-in-vitro-and-imaging-tools) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration; official; checked 2026-10-22; Lists Signatera CDx (Natera, P260004, 05/15/2026) as a companion diagnostic for atezolizumab in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Organization website: https://www.natera.com/oncology/signatera-advanced-cancer-detection/ Information/access: [Signatera for patients](https://www.natera.com/oncology/signatera-advanced-cancer-detection/patients/) Service status: available ## Company facts - **Test:** Personalized, tumor-informed blood test that looks for circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to detect molecular residual disease. (Sources: natera-faq, natera-patients) - **Samples:** Tumor tissue (paraffin block or slides) and blood the first time; after that, blood only. (Sources: natera-faq, natera-overview) - **Timing:** About 3 to 4 weeks for the first result; 7 to 10 days for later blood tests. (Sources: natera-faq, natera-patients) - **FDA status:** Standard Signatera is a lab-developed test, not FDA-cleared. Signatera CDx was FDA-approved in May 2026 as a companion diagnostic in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. (Sources: natera-patients, fda-cdx) - **Cost:** As of October 2026: no published Signatera list price. Medicare covers listed indications. Qualifying patients pay a reduced rate of $0 to $239 per test. (Sources: natera-billing, natera-assistance) Topics: tumor-testing Capabilities: blood-monitoring Related record IDs: eedb734b-9696-4e66-bf29-5c63cbf6a3ba, af18cbc9-1c7f-4799-a763-3f53ba52b1fd, f7221927-6b87-4be3-9a7c-906768a192a5 Follow Kevin on X: https://x.com/kevinace Educational information, not an individualized treatment recommendation.