Galleri test - great news for cancer screening
-
A blood test for more than 50 types of cancer could help speed up diagnosis, according to a new study.
Results of a trial in North America show that the test was able to identify a wide range of cancers, of which three-quarters don't have any form of screening programme.
More than half the cancers were detected at an early stage, where they are easier to treat and potentially curable.
The Galleri test, made by American pharmaceutical firm Grail, can detect fragments of cancerous DNA that have broken off a tumour and are circulating in the blood. It is currently being trialled by the NHS.
The trial followed 25,000 adults from the US and Canada over a year, with nearly one in 100 getting a positive result. For 62% of these cases, cancer was later confirmed.
Lead researcher Dr Nima Nabavizadeh, associate professor of radiation medicine at Oregon Health & Science University, said the data showed that the test could "fundamentally change" their approach to cancer screening.
He explained that it could help detect many types of cancer "earlier, when the chance of successful treatment or even cure are the greatest".
The test correctly ruled out cancer in over 99% of those who tested negative.
When combined with breast, bowel, lung and cervical screening it increased the number of cancers detected overall seven-fold.
Crucially, three-quarters of cancers detected were those which have no screening programme such as ovarian, liver, stomach, bladder and pancreatic cancer.
The blood test correctly identified the origin of the cancer in nine out of 10 cases.
-
-
-
More cancer news, mRNA vaccines and cancer.
How mRNA Vaccines Can Help Fight Cancer
Turning "cold" tumors "hot"
