We exult over a media report that scientists have made a stunning breakthrough in diagnosing cancer only through a blood test. A blood test for more than 50 types of cancer could speed up diagnosis, a study shows, raising a ray of hope among the people suffering from the deadly disease around the world.
Results of a trial in North America show that the test was able to identify a wide range of cancers, of which three-quarters do not have any form of screening programme. More than half the cancers were detected at an early stage, where they are easier to treat and potentially curable.
The Galleri test, made by American pharmaceutical firm Grail, can detect fragments of cancerous DNA that have broken off a tumour and are circulating in blood. It is currently being trialled by the NHS.
The trial followed 25,000 adults from the US and Canada over a year, with nearly one in 100 getting a positive result. For 62 percent of these cases, cancer was later confirmed.
Lead researcher Dr Nima Nabavizadeh, associate professor of radiation medicine at Oregon Health & Science University, said the data shows that the test could ‘fundamentally change’ their approach to cancer screening. He explained that it could help detect many types of cancer "earlier, when the chance of successful treatment or even cure are the greatest". The test correctly ruled out cancer in over 99 percent of those who tested negative.
When combined with breast, bowel and cervical screening it increased the number of cancers detected overall seven-fold. Three-quarters of cancers detected were those which have no screening programme such as ovarian, liver, stomach, bladder and pancreatic cancer.
The blood test correctly identified the origin of the cancer in nine out of 10 cases. These impressive results suggest the blood test could eventually have a major role to play in diagnosing cancer earlier.
Clare Turnbull, professor of translational cancer genetics at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: "Data from randomised studies, with mortality as an endpoint, will be absolutely essential to establish whether earlier-stage detection by Galleri translates into benefits in mortality."
Sir Harpal Kumar, president of biopharma at Grail called the results "very compelling". Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: "The vast majority of people who die from cancer do so because we find their cancers too late."
Many cancers are found when they are ‘already very advanced’ he added, explaining that the aim is to ‘shift to earlier detection, when we have the chance to use treatments that are much more effective and potentially curative.’
It is worth mentioning that around 10 million die of various types of cancer around the world. So, the achievement made by the scientists is a great piece of news for cancer patients.
