Blood test for multiple cancers clears crucial hurdle on track to FDA approval
If approved, the test could help catch cancers early—but more research is still needed, experts say
A blood test for detecting multiple cancers has received a crucial vote of approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's advisory panel. The Galleri test, developed by Grail Inc., aims to screen for cancers before symptoms arise. The ten-member panel unanimously agreed that the test is safe, but there is still debate over its effectiveness and whether the benefits outweigh the risks.
If the Galleri test is approved by the FDA, it would be an essential tool for early cancer detection, especially for individuals aged 50 and above. The test is currently being evaluated in a study involving over 35,000 participants, where it detected signs of cancer in 287 people, with about 60% later diagnosed with the disease.
However, a negative result does not definitively rule out cancer, and more research is needed to determine its overall impact on cancer mortality rates. Experts emphasize that the Galleri test should be considered an additional screening tool, not a replacement for established cancer screening methods.
Written by urgent.news from Scientific American's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
