UK-based healthcare system National Health Service (NHS) has started the trial of a new blood test, which has the potential to identify over 50 types of cancer before symptoms uncover.
Developed by healthcare company Grail, the Galleri test will be used to check the earliest signs of cancer in the blood.
The NHS-Galleri study is a randomised control trial (RCT), which will enroll 140,000 volunteers in eight areas of England.
The NHS-Galleri study will be conducted by The Cancer Research UK and King’s College London Cancer Prevention Trials Unit in collaboration with the NHS and Grail.
According to NHS, the research has demonstrated that the Galleri test is specifically effective at finding cancers, including head and neck, bowel, lung, pancreatic, and throat.
The Galleri test is designed to detect chemical changes in fragments of genetic code-cell-free DNA (cfDNA), which leak from tumours into the bloodstream.
NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said: “This quick and simple blood test could mark the beginning of a revolution in cancer detection and treatment here and around the world.
“By finding cancer before signs and symptoms even appear, we have the best chance of treating it and we can give people the best possible chance of survival.
“The NHS has a successful track record of leading the way on innovations in cancer diagnosis and treatment, from CAR-T therapy to COVID-friendly drugs.”
Initially, the study will include people with blood samples taken at mobile testing clinics in retail parks and other convenient community locations.
The NHS aims to reveal initial results in 2023, and the trial will be extended to a further one million people in 2024 and 2025 based on the success.
In August this year, NHS England launched a same-day, life-saving test for pregnant women, dubbed placental growth factor (PLGF) testing.
