A new DNA blood test that could lead to early diagnosis of cancers leads and significantly increase survival rates was launched on Monday by the National Health Service (NHS).
The NHS announced the world’s largest trial of Grail Inc.’s Galleri blood test, which can be used to detect more than 50 cancers before symptoms appear.
The Galleri test looks at the DNA in a patient’s blood to determine if its data comes from cancer cells.
The NHS said it wants to recruit 140,000 volunteers in the UK to study how well the test is performing as part of a randomised controlled trial. Half of the participants will have their blood sample tested immediately with the Galleri test.
“We need to study the Galleri test carefully to see if it can significantly reduce the number of cancers diagnosed at an advanced stage,” said Peter Sasieni, a professor of cancer prevention at King’s College London.
“The test could be a gamechanger in the early detection of cancer and we are excited to lead this important research,” he added.
Lung cancer is by far the most common cause of cancer death in the United Kingdom, accounting for around a fifth of all cancer deaths. Lung, bowel, prostate and breast cancers account for 45% of the United Kingdom’s cancer deaths, the NHS said.