New blood Test Shows Promise in Detecting 50 Cancers, Early Results Reveal
Berlin, Germany – A new blood test, dubbed Galleri, has demonstrated a significant ability to detect a wide range of cancers, according to preliminary results presented today at the European Society for Medical Oncology congress in Berlin. The test, which analyzed samples from 25,000 adults in the US and Canada over a year, correctly identified cancer in approximately 62% of those who received a positive result.
The findings represent a potential breakthrough in early cancer diagnosis, especially for cancers lacking routine screening programs. While further research is needed to determine if the test ultimately reduces cancer deaths, the initial data suggests it could dramatically improve outcomes by enabling earlier intervention. currently, three-quarters of cancers detected by the test are those without established screening methods, including ovarian, liver, stomach, bladder, and pancreatic cancers.
The Galleri test works by detecting a signal released by tumor cells into the bloodstream. In the trial, nearly one in 100 participants tested positive, and the test accurately ruled out cancer in over 99% of those with negative results. When used alongside existing breast,bowel,and cervical cancer screenings,the test increased overall cancer detection rates seven-fold. Furthermore, the test accurately pinpointed the origin of the cancer in 9 out of 10 cases.
Despite the promising results, experts caution that more evidence is required to confirm whether the test translates to lower mortality rates. A large-scale, three-year trial involving 140,000 patients within the National Health Service (NHS) in England is underway and expected to publish results next year. The NHS has indicated that, should the trial prove accomplished, it intends to offer the test to an additional one million peopel. The full details of the current study have yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
