Jacqui Wise KentLiquid biopsies that can spot multiple cancers are being hailed as potentially revolutionary, but just how good are the tests? Jacqui Wise reportsRecent results from a trial of a simple blood test that could identify more than 50 different types of cancer before a patient has any obvious symptoms have been described in effusive and breathless terms. The Guardian said the Galleri test could be “a new era” for cancer screening.1 Announcing the results from the Pathfinder study, senior study author Deb Schrag from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York said, “This study provides a glimpse of what the future may hold—the opportunity for screening using blood tests to detect various types of cancers at their earliest and most treatable stages,”23In 2020, the test was described as a potential “game changer” by the then NHS chief executive Simon Stevens when he announced a collaboration between NHS England and Grail, the private company developing the test.4 NHS England is to report results from a major trial of the test involving 140 000 participants next year.5

Source: The Guardian September 21, 2022 19:10 UTC