Blood testing & monitoring

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.

Kevin WimerSources checked Oct 22, 2026
Test
Personalized, tumor-informed blood test that looks for circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to detect molecular residual disease.[2][1]
Samples
Tumor tissue (paraffin block or slides) and blood the first time; after that, blood only.[2][3]
Timing
About 3 to 4 weeks for the first result; 7 to 10 days for later blood tests.[2][1]
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.[1][6]
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.[4][5]

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 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 and Get the right tumor testing.

Contacts

Signatera for patientsVisit website

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