A new blood test called Galleri can detect more than 50 types of cancer using only a single blood draw. Mayo Clinic has recognized the debut of this groundbreaking multi-cancer detection test and has joined the interventional study that tests its efficacy.
Experts say that Galleri can revolutionize cancer screening that will significantly reduce the human and economic toll of cancer. They are also planning to use it to complement the US guideline-recommending cancer screenings.
Groundbreaking Multi-Cancer Screening Blood Test Can Diagnose 50 Types of the Deadly Disease Even Before Symptoms AppearPixabay
Could Galleri be the Holy GRAIL of Cancer Screening?
According to a Mayo Clinic press release, cancer is expected to become the leading cause of death in the US in 2021. However, recommended screening tests can only cover five types of cancer, and there are no early detection screening tests for most cancers, which account for 71% of cancer deaths.
Dr. Julia Feygin, a team member at the California-based company GRAIL that developed Galleri, emphasized the importance of early detection of cancer. She told CBS News that her father died of stage three pancreatic cancer at the young age of 40. This type of cancer is hard to detect, aggressive, and one of the deadliest types of cancer.
"If cancers can be detected early, we can dramatically improve patient outcomes," she said.
Feygin explained that the new blood test tracks the DNA a cancer cell sheds in the blood. They sequence these tiny bits of tumor-derived DNA in the blood and reveal any signal for cancer present. She added that the test could accurately predict where in the body this cancer signal is coming from.
Mayo clinic participated in an interventional study using the Galleri blood test of 6,000 participants. About 29 signals were detected, which resulted in a cancer diagnosis. A study also found less than 1% false-positive rate on the new blood test.
Feygin said that the test is intended for those at an elevated risk, such as the elderly. As of now, it is a prescription-only test, and the insurance does not cover it.
Scientists called this new blood test a game-changer that has caught cancers early and in more treatable stages. They hope to change the outcomes for families with members suffering from the disease and curve mortality rate. GRAIL emphasized that Galleri is not a replacement of the US guideline-recommended cancer screening, but a complementary to it.
The World Health Organization (WHO) promotes early cancer detection. According to its website, early diagnosis focuses on detecting symptomatic patients as early as possible for a better chance of successful treatment. They pointed out that a delay in diagnosis lowers the chance of survival and poses greater problems with treatment along with higher costs of care.
On the other hand, screening is a different strategy than early diagnosis because it identifies unrecognized disease in an asymptomatic patient that seems to be healthy. Screening involves tests, examinations, and other procedures that can be easily and rapidly applied. It is more complex with an early diagnosis that needs additional resources and coordination.
Developing strategies for either of the two to identify cancer early and save lives is important because it improves access to cancer treatment and reduces personal, societal, and economic costs.
