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A new blood test that could help detect the early signs of more than 50 types of cancer will be put to the test in England by the NHS.
Galleri’s blood test will be tested with 165,000 patients after research suggested it could find many types of cancer that are difficult to diagnose early, such as neck, ovarian and head.
The test, which has been developed by the American company Grail, looks for molecular changes and will be implemented more widely if it works as expected.
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‘Thousands of cancers have gone undetected’
It is hoped that the test can help the NHS meet its goal of increasing the number of cancers detected early.
If a patient is diagnosed while their cancer is in stage one, they are generally five to ten times more likely to survive than when they are in stage four.
Sir Simon Stevens, Executive Director of NHS England, said: “While the good news is that cancer survival is now at a record level, more than 1,000 people each day receive a new cancer diagnosis.
“Early detection, particularly for difficult-to-treat conditions such as ovarian and pancreatic cancer, has the potential to save many lives.
“This promising blood test, therefore, could be a game changer in cancer care, helping thousands more to obtain successful treatment.”
The pilot will begin in the middle of next year and will include 140,000 people between the ages of 50 and 79 who have no symptoms. They will receive annual blood tests for three years.
Patients will be identified through NHS registries and anyone with a positive test will be referred to the health service for further investigation.
Another 25,000 people with possible cancer symptoms will also participate and will be offered blood tests to help speed their diagnoses after they have been referred to the hospital.
Results are expected in 2023, with a view to broader implementation in 2024 and 2025.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “We are building a world leading diagnostics industry in the UK, not just for coronavirus but for other diseases as well.
“This exciting new blood test from Grail will provide us with another tool to give more people the best chance of survival, demonstrating how the UK continues to lead the way in using the latest innovative treatments to help patients.
“Many of us know a loved one who has battled cancer and we have seen firsthand the impact of this deadly disease.”
