Scientists have developed a revolutionary blood test capable of detecting more than 50 types of cancer at early stages, offering new hope for improved cancer outcomes.
The test, known as Galleri, demonstrated promising results in a major trial, correctly identifying cancer in 61.6 per cent of flagged cases and accurately pinpointing the organ or tissue of origin in 92 per cent of those cases.
Sir Harpal Kumar, President of International Business and BioPharma at Grail, the company behind Galleri, said the test could transform cancer diagnosis and treatment.
“We’re really very excited, and we think this is a further step along the way in really transforming cancer outcomes,” Kumar said.
The trial, named Pathfinder 2, involved over 23,000 participants in the United States and Canada who had no symptoms of cancer. Results were presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Berlin.
According to Kumar, the test works by detecting DNA fragments shed by cancer cells into the bloodstream, often before symptoms appear. He said the test identified seven times more cancers than existing screening programmes combined.
The study revealed that 53.5 per cent of detected cancers were in stages I or II, while nearly 70 per cent were found before reaching stage IV. The test also ruled out cancer in 99.6 per cent of healthy individuals, reducing the risk of false positives.
An NHS trial of Galleri is currently underway in the United Kingdom, with results expected next year. If successful, the test could be used annually for people aged 50 and above, when cancer risk increases.
Josh Ofman, President at Grail, described the results as “extremely compelling,” noting that most cancers detected by Galleri currently lack recommended screening methods.
However, some experts urged caution. Prof. Anna Schuh of the University of Oxford said the test still produced a significant number of false positives, while Prof. Clare Turnbull of the Institute of Cancer Research, London, stressed the need for more data to confirm its impact on mortality rates.
Despite the concerns, researchers agree that Galleri represents a major advancement in early cancer detection, potentially enabling more effective and curative treatments.
