A new test has been created which aims to diagnose cancer using a blood test. This test works by looking for something in the blood called 'cell-free DNA (cfDNA)', which are pieces of DNA that a tumour releases into the bloodstream. You might have heard these tests being referred to as 'liquid biopsies'. This is similar to blood tests that are used to confirm whether women are pregnant.
Could new blood test detect cancer in the UK?
Research in England and Wales is looking into a new blood test that could detect a range of cancers. Earlier research in America has been promising. But it needs further testing in larger trials. A company called GRAIL Bio UK Ltd makes the Galleri blood test. It is not available in the UK outside of a clinical trial.
What is a blood test for cancer?
The test is a simple blood test that research has shown is particularly effective at finding cancers that are typically difficult to identify early – such as head and neck, bowel, lung, pancreatic, and throat cancers. It works by finding chemical changes in fragments of genetic code-cell-free DNA (cfDNA) that leak from tumours into the bloodstream.
Who are the people being asked to take cancer blood tests?
Those being asked are aged between 50 and 77, from a range of backgrounds and ethnicities, and must not have had a cancer diagnosis in the past three years. What is the aim of the trial? The NHS hopes the blood tests will help increase five-year survival rates for cancer, which are below the levels seen in many other high-income countries.