In the NHS Galleri Trial, a multi-cancer blood test has shown real promise.
A blood test – called the Galleri test – for more than 50 types of cancer has shown real promise in a major NHS trial.
The test correctly revealed two out of every three cancers among 5,000 people who had visited their GP with suspected symptoms, in England or Wales.
In 85% of those positive cases, it also pinpointed the original site of cancer.
The Galleri test looks for changes in bits of genetic code that leak from different cancers. Spotting treatable cancer early can save lives.
The test remains very much a ‘work in progress’, the researchers, from Oxford University, say; but could increase the number of cancers identified.
Often, patients have symptoms, such as weight loss, with a range of possible causes and require multiple tests and hospital visits.
More than 350 of those in the study, were subsequently diagnosed with cancer, using traditional methods such as scans and biopsies. About:
- 75% of those testing positive on the blood test were found to have cancer (true positive)
- 2.5% of those testing negative were found to have cancer (false positive).
Although not accurate enough to ‘rule in or rule out cancer’, the test was really useful for patients lead researcher said Prof Mark Middleton,
The test was 85% accurate in detecting the source of the cancer – and that can be really helpful because so many times it is not immediately obvious when you have got the patient in front of you what test is needed to see whether their symptoms are down to cancer.”
With that prediction from the test, doctors can decide whether to order an endoscopy, ultrasound or CT scan, and make sure it is the right test first time.
One day, the Galleri (or a similar) test could be used, for example, in a 40 year old with a change in bowel habit, and the doctor is considering various diagnoses e.g., irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease or bowel cancer; and they are not sure whether to refer to hospital on the NHS’s 2-week wait (2WW) system. Though at present the true negative rate is too high.
The findings will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference, in Chicago, and published in The Lancet Oncology journal.
Here is more information on the NHS Galleri Trial
MyHSN has related articles on NHS cancer targets:
2 week wait target
31 day (plan) and 62 day (start) treatment targets
