A new era in cancer diagnosis?
A revolutionary blood test will completely change the early diagnosis of cancer
Svetlana Maslova, Hi-tech+
The scientists evaluated the accuracy of the Galleri test for more than 50 different types of cancer and obtained excellent results in the early diagnosis of tumors, including difficult-to-detect ones such as pancreatic cancer. The test analyzes the tumor DNA circulating in the blood. Its introduction into clinical practice will significantly increase the survival rate of cancer patients by detecting cancer at an early operable stage, the authors believe.
The Galleri test, developed by scientists from the USA, is based on the MCED method — the early detection of many malignant neoplasms by analyzing tumor DNA circulating in the blood. Now, at the ESMO 2022 Congress, the team presented the results of the Galleri accuracy assessment, a PATHFINDER study that involved 6,621 healthy volunteers aged 50 and older.
Testing identified 92 potential cases of cancer, further examination confirmed 35 diagnoses, including 14 cases at an early stage.
In addition to detecting signs of cancer, the test reports on the suspected localization of the tumor, which greatly simplifies the subsequent process of examining patients.
"When the test was positive, it took less than three months to complete the examination," commented study author Deb Schrag. Among the participants were identified: breast, liver, lung, colon, endometrial, ovarian, pancreatic and blood cancers.
Equally important, the test showed a negative result in 99.1% of participants. "This means that only a small part of healthy people mistakenly received a positive result. The findings should dispel fears that such screenings can cause harm," Schrag said.
Currently, scientists continue to improve the accuracy of testing and expand its capabilities. This will be of great importance for common and difficult-to-identify types of tumors, for example, such as pancreatic, small intestine and stomach cancers, which today are often detected already at the stage with metastases.
Scientists emphasize that their main goal is to reduce cancer mortality. If doctors are able to identify patients with tumors at an early stage, in many cases, the surgical approach may be the main method of treatment.
Currently, scientists have already launched the next phase of research with the participation of 140 thousand healthy volunteers.
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