Scientists Develop New Blood Test That Detects Over 50 Types Of Cancer Early

A revolutionary blood test that can identify over 50 different types of cancer has delivered encouraging outcomes in clinical trials, accurately diagnosing the illness in almost two-thirds of instances it indicated. The test, called Galleri, is presently under review by the NHS as a possible yearly screening option.

The Galleri test operates by identifying DNA fragments released by cancer cells into the bloodstream, frequently detecting cancer prior to the onset of symptoms. In a large-scale US study named Pathfinder 2, the test exhibited robust effectiveness both in excluding cancer among healthy people and identifying the disease during early, more manageable phases.

Among participants whose blood indicated a “cancer signal,” 61.6% were subsequently verified to have cancer. Even more remarkably, the test accurately identified the organ or tissue of origin in 92% of cases — a breakthrough researchers indicate could conserve precious time and resources during diagnosis.

“We’re really very excited, and we think this is a further step along the way in really transforming cancer outcomes,” said Sir Harpal Kumar, president of International Business and BioPharma at Grail, the company behind Galleri, and former head of Cancer Research UK.

Findings from the trial indicated that more than half (53.5%) of detected cancers were in stages I or II, while nearly 70% were discovered before advancing to stage IV. Furthermore, the test accurately excluded cancer in 99.6% of individuals who did not have the disease, reducing false positives to a minimum.

Sir Harpal described how the Pathfinder 2 study was structured to assess the test under everyday conditions. “What we wanted to assess was, what added value does the test provide over and above existing screening? And one of the most important and exciting results is the fact that it detected seven times as many cancers as the other screening programmes put together,” he said.

The trial included more than 23,000 participants from the US and Canada who exhibited no cancer symptoms, with findings presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Berlin.

An NHS Galleri trial is currently in progress, with outcomes anticipated next year. According to Sir Harpal, if it succeeds, it could enable physicians to identify cancer far earlier, particularly for varieties lacking existing screening approaches such as pancreatic, liver, ovarian, and head and neck cancers.

“Assuming we get positive results from NHS Galleri, the opportunity to find substantially greater numbers of cancers before they present clinically means we should be able to find a lot more of them at an earlier stage,” he said. “This opens up the possibility we can use more effective treatments and, in many cases, curative treatments. That should make a substantial difference to cancer outcomes.”

He also highlighted that the test’s capability to specify the exact organ involved accelerates and streamlines diagnosis. “If somebody presents with abdominal pain, you might ask: is this ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer – or is it not a cancer at all? If we can help clinicians direct those investigations, we can make much better use of what is very scarce diagnostic capacity,” he added.

Experts have proposed that Galleri could prove most beneficial as an annual examination for individuals aged 50 and older, when cancer risk rises. “Our analysis would suggest it’s going to be more cost-effective from age 50 upwards,” Sir Harpal said.

Josh Ofman, president at Grail, characterized the results as “extremely compelling,” observing that “approximately three-quarters of the Galleri-detected cancers do not have recommended screening tests today.”

However, some scientists recommended caution. Professor Anna Schuh of the University of Oxford emphasized that the test is not yet flawless: “Almost half of the time, the test gets it wrong when it calls a positive result. This is disappointing, as it is only fractionally better compared to tossing a coin.”

Professor Clare Turnbull from the Institute of Cancer Research, London, indicated that additional data was required to verify whether the test lowers mortality rates. Meanwhile, Professor Nitzan Rosenfeld of the Barts Cancer Institute described the results “impressive” and stated the 62% accuracy was “very encouraging,” although he also observed that sensitivity differs across various cancer types.

Despite the discussion, researchers concur that the Galleri test could represent a major advancement in early cancer detection, providing optimism that more cancers could soon be identified and addressed before they turn life-threatening.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli