Scientists develop new blood test that detects over 50 types of cancer early

A groundbreaking blood test capable of detecting more than 50 types of cancer has shown promising results in trials, correctly identifying the disease in nearly two-thirds of cases it flagged. The test, known as Galleri, is currently being evaluated by the NHS as a potential annual screening tool. The Galleri test works by detecting DNA fragments shed by cancer cells into the bloodstream, often identifying cancer before symptoms appear. In a major US trial called Pathfinder 2, the test demonstrated strong performance both in ruling out cancer in healthy individuals and spotting the disease at early, more treatable stages. Among participants whose blood showed a cancer signal, 61.6% were later confirmed to have cancer. Even more impressively, the test correctly pinpointed the organ or tissue of origin in 92% of cases a development researchers say could save valuable time and resources in diagnosis. Were 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. Results from the trial revealed that over half (53.5%) of detected cancers were in stages I or II, while nearly 70% were found before reaching stage IV. Additionally, the test correctly ruled out cancer in 99.6% of people who did not have the disease, minimizing false positives. Sir Harpal explained that the Pathfinder 2 study was designed to evaluate the test in real-world 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 involved more than 23,000 participants from the US and Canada who had no cancer symptoms, with results being presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Berlin. An NHS Galleri trial is currently underway, with results expected next year. According to Sir Harpal, if successful, it could allow doctors to detect cancer much earlier, especially for types with no current screening methods 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 noted that the tests ability to identify the precise organ affected makes diagnosis faster and more efficient. 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 suggested that Galleri could be most effective as an annual test for people aged 50 and above, when cancer risk increases. Our analysis would suggest its going to be more cost-effective from age 50 upwards, Sir Harpal said. Josh Ofman, president at Grail, described the results as extremely compelling, noting that approximately three-quarters of the Galleri-detected cancers do not have recommended screening tests today. However, some scientists urged caution. Professor Anna Schuh of the University of Oxford pointed out that the test is not yet perfect: 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, said further data was needed to confirm whether the test reduces mortality rates. Meanwhile, Professor Nitzan Rosenfeld of the Barts Cancer Institute called the results impressive and said the 62% accuracy was very encouraging, though he also noted that sensitivity varies across different cancer types. Despite the debate, researchers agree the Galleri test could mark a significant step forward in early cancer detection, offering hope that more cancers could soon be found and treated before they become life-threatening.The post Scientists develop new blood test that detects over 50 types of cancer early appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.