The Truth About The Blood Test That Can Reveal Dozens Of Different Cancers

Roughly 10 million people around the world die annually from cancer, making it the world's second leading cause of death just below heart disease, reports the World Health Organization (WHO). And in 2021, cancer is expected to become the world's leading cause of death, according to Healthline. 

Cancer occurs when our body's cells are altered due to changes in our genes (via the National Cancer Institute). Whether due to a genetic predisposition or influenced by environmental factors such as exposure to radiation or air pollutants, these cells proceed to mutate, divide, and spread throughout the body. One of the best ways to promote our overall health is to practice preventative care with routine screenings. Screenings allow medical professionals to monitor for any potential physical indicators of cancer growth and the earlier symptoms are detected, the better. However, some cancers are not as easily detected through screenings, leaving us vulnerable to late detection and advanced stages of cancer.

Recently, experts have developed Galleri, a unique blood test that has the ability to detect the presence of various cancers within the body, and more specifically, where exactly they are located (via GRAIL). Developed by the health organization, GRAIL, their mission is to advance early detection technology within the healthcare industry to reduce the number of deaths caused by cancer.

This test has the potential to significantly impact the public health community as it has the means to identify over 50 different cancers, including those which are not detectable by standard screenings (via Healthline). While still undergoing clinical trials, experts anticipate that the test will be readily available within the United States by the second half of 2021 (via BioSpace). Because this test will require a physician prescription, it will offered only through medical practices, partner health systems, and self-insured employers for the time being. These partnerships are well underway as GRAIL has already contracted with Quest Diagnostics among other global biopharmaceutical companies to implement these new offerings.

Cancer is one of the most complex medical conditions in the scientific community, and experts have been studying cancer detection, cures, and treatment options for years. This new development is an encouraging step in the right direction. These comprehensive blood tests will most likely become available to the public in the not-so-distant future, which will allow us to focus on early detection and treatment, preventing further losses.