A major study conducted in North America has shown promising results for a blood test capable of detecting more than 50 types of cancer, raising new hopes for early and faster cancer diagnosis.
The trial, which lasted one year, involved 25,000 adults in the United States and Canada. According to the findings, the test successfully identified several types of cancer for which no regular screening programs currently exist including ovarian, liver, stomach, bladder, and pancreatic cancers.
The study revealed that more than half of the cases were detected at an early stage when treatment success rates are significantly higher. Additionally, over 99% of individuals who received a negative result were indeed cancer-free.
The test, called Galleri, was developed by the U.S.based company Grail. It works by detecting tiny fragments of tumor DNA circulating in the blood. The test is also being trialed within the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS).
Among participants who tested positive, cancer was later confirmed in 62% of cases, while in 90% of these cases, the test accurately identified the location of the disease.
Lead researcher Dr. Nima Nabavizadeh from Oregon Health & Science University stated that these results could revolutionize cancer screening methods, as the test can identify the disease at a stage when treatment is more likely to be successful or even curative.
When combined with existing screenings for breast, bowel, lung, and cervical cancers, the detection rate increased sevenfold.
Experts have cautioned, however, that while the results are encouraging, further research is still required to determine whether the test can actually reduce cancer related deaths.
The findings are being presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in Berlin, though the full results have not yet been published in a scientific journal.
Results from an ongoing three year NHS trial involving 140,000 participants are expected next year, and if successful, the test could be made available to an additional one million people.
