Galleri Test: The Best in Early Cancer Screening

Currently, the available screening tests for cancer look at five different types of cancer: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, 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 simple blood test that is able to detect cancer cells in the bloodstream up to a year before cancer is diagnosed using conventional screening techniques. Moreover, this can test for cancers that are without any current screening method: brain, head/neck, larynx, thyroid, esophageal, stomach, pancreas, liver, bladder, endometrial, and vulva.

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.

A simple blood test is all that is needed to complete the Galleri Test: no fasting, no time off from work, and no invasive procedures. Should the test return a result of “cancer signal detected,” further diagnostic testing is required to confirm a cancer diagnosis.

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 cancer signal 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 that indicates a very low (0.05%) percentage of false positive results.

Who Should Get It?

The risk of cancer increases after the age of 50, making the use of early 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, the 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 an elevated risk due to family history.
• Additional health issues such as cirrhosis of the liver or chronic immune deficiency can increase your risk of developing cancer and, thus, may warrant the 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.

Dr. Sarah Williams is Now Offering the Galleri Test

Interested in doing more to screen for cancer?

Contact us to learn more about making the Galleri Test, our proactive tool to screen for cancer, a part of your yearly wellness care.

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