Galleri Test: The Best in Early Cancer Screening
Currently, the available screening tests for cancer look at five different types of cancer: breast, colorectal, lung, cervical, and prostate cancer.
Yet, 70% of cancer deaths are caused by cancers for which no specific form of screening is available. That is until the Galleri Test was developed.
The Galleri Test by Grail is a blood test which is able to detect cancer cells in the bloodstream up to a year before cancer is diagnosed using conventional screening techniques. Moreover, the Galleri test is able to test for those cancers that are without any current screening method: brain, head/neck, larynx, thyroid, esophageal, stomach, pancreas, liver, bladder, endometrial, and vulva.
The Galleri Test: How it Works
The Galleri Test uses groundbreaking DNA innovation to detect the presence of 50 common cancers in the blood before any symptoms are evident. More aggressive cancers tend to release more cell-free DNA into the bloodstream at early stages, making them more likely to be detected by the Galleri Test.
A simple blood draw is all that is needed to complete the Galleri Test: no fasting, no time off from work, and no invasive procedures. Should the Galleri Test detect a positive cancer signal, diagnostic testing is required to confirm cancer.
The Galleri Test: How Accurate is It?
To be an effective early detection test for multiple types of cancer, a test must be specific (consistently yielding a true positive result in the presence of cancer instead of a false positive result). As a Multi-Cancer Early Detection Test, the Galleri Test has a 99% specificity rate which indicates a very low (0.05%) percentage of false positive results.
The Galleri Test: Who Should Get It?
The risk of cancer increases after the age of 50, making the use of early cancer detection testing an important part of annual checkups. That’s because people over the age of 50 have a 13 times higher risk for cancer than those under 50. Moreover, risk of cancer increases for everyone as they age, regardless of family history — only 5% to 10% of cancers are inherited.
- The Galleri test is recommended for everyone over the age of 50.
- The test is also recommended for anyone over 21 with a family history of cancer.
- Additional health issues such as cirrhosis of the liver or chronic immune deficiency can increase your risk of developing cancer and, thus, may warrant use of this early cancer detection test.
It’s important to note that the Galleri test is intended to be used in addition to, and does not replace, other cancer screening tests your healthcare provider recommends. The Galleri test is also not a hereditary screening test and does not predict your future genetic risk for cancer. Use of Galleri is not recommended in individuals who are pregnant, 21 years old or younger, or undergoing active cancer treatment.
Interested in doing more to screen for cancer?
Contact us to learn more about making the Galleri Test apart of your yearly wellness care.
References
Vitone, J. et al. A multi-cancer early detection blood test
using machine learning detects early-
stage cancers lacking USPSTF-
recommended screening. npjPrecision Oncology. 8, Article 9 (2024).
Schrag D, Beer TM, McDonnell III CH, et al. Blood-based tests for multicancer early detection (PATHFINDER): a prospective cohort study. Lancet 2023;402:1251–60.
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