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Galleri Test UK: Could This Multi-Cancer Blood Test Be the Game-Changer in Early Cancer Detection?
- Dr Ravi Gowda
- 4d
- 6 min read
Updated: 3d
A single blood test for cancer that can detect over 50 different types, it's an exciting prospect, isn't it? Recent results from a major trial suggest we may be moving closer to this becoming a reality for people in the UK, and the findings are genuinely encouraging.
In this article we'll discuss:
What the Latest Study Tells Us
The PATHFINDER 2 trial has recently released some impressive findings that are generating considerable interest in the medical community.[1] This study involved over 25,000 people aged 50 and above across the United States and Canada, and examined what happens when you add the Galleri multi-cancer early detection test to standard cancer screening programmes.
Here's what makes this particularly interesting: when the Galleri test was added to the usual recommended screenings for breast, cervical, bowel, and lung cancers, it increased the cancer detection rate more than seven-fold within a year compared to standard screening alone.[1]
That's a substantial difference.
What's especially promising is that more than half of the cancers detected by Galleri were caught at early stages, when treatment is generally more effective. Approximately three-quarters of the cancers identified by Galleri don't currently have any recommended screening tests in the UK, such as:
Pancreatic cancer
Ovarian cancer
Oesophageal cancer
Liver cancer
These cancers often don't show symptoms until they've progressed.[1]
Figure 1 - Summary of Galleri Pathfinder 2 cancer screening trial
Understanding the Test's Accuracy
You're probably wondering about accuracy and the potential for false alarms. Let's explore these important questions.
Key Performance Statistics
Metric | Result | What This Means |
Specificity | 99.6% | Only 0.4% false positive rate |
Positive Predictive Value | 61.6% | When positive, 61.6% actually have cancer |
Cancer Signal Origin | 92% | Correctly identifies where cancer is located |
Time to Diagnosis | 46 days | Median time from positive result to diagnosis |
Serious Adverse Events | 0% | No serious complications during investigations |
The test demonstrated a specificity of 99.6%, meaning it gives a false positive result only 0.4% of the time. When someone did receive a positive result, the likelihood that they actually had cancer was 61.6%, which is notably higher than earlier studies.[1]
Even more impressively, when the test detected a cancer signal, it correctly identified where in the body the cancer was likely originating 92% of the time. This is particularly helpful as it guides doctors to the right area for further investigation, rather than requiring extensive whole-body scans.
The diagnostic process took a median of 46 days, and importantly, there were no serious adverse events reported during the diagnostic workup.[1]
Figure 2. Galleri Multi-Cancer Test - How it works
How The Test Compares with Current UK Screening
Let's look at where we currently stand with cancer screening in the UK. The NHS offers three main cancer screening programmes:
Breast screening for women aged 50-70 (every three years)
Cervical screening for women aged 25-64 (every 3-5 years depending on age)
Bowel cancer screening for people aged 50-74 (every two years)[3]
These programmes are valuable and save around 10,000 lives each year.[3] However, they cover only a handful of cancer types, accounting for approximately 6% of all cancers diagnosed in England each year.
What makes the Galleri test particularly promising is that it can detect signals from more than 50 different cancer types with a single blood draw.[2] This includes many cancers that currently have no screening programmes; pancreatic, ovarian, stomach, and kidney cancer, among others. These cancers often have poorer outcomes because by the time symptoms appear, they're typically at more advanced stages.
Figure 3. Current NHS Cancer Screening vs Galleri Multi-Cancer Test
The Additional Benefits The Galleri Test Could Bring
Beyond detecting more cancers, there are several other potential advantages worth highlighting.
Because the test can indicate where a cancer signal may be originating, it helps target investigations more precisely. Instead of scanning your entire body or putting you through multiple procedures, doctors can focus on the specific area flagged by the test. This could mean fewer unnecessary scans, reduced anxiety from lengthy investigations, and potential cost savings for the NHS.
There's also real value in catching cancer at an earlier stage. When we find cancer early, treatment options are often less aggressive, recovery times can be shorter, and survival rates are generally better. Some early-stage cancers can be treated very successfully, and in many cases, cured completely.
Could The Test Work in the NHS?
You're probably wondering whether this will become available on the NHS, and if so, when. There's actually some encouraging news on this front.
The NHS has been at the forefront of investigating this technology through the NHS-Galleri trial, currently the world's largest study of a multi-cancer early detection test, involving over 140,000 people in England.[4] While we're waiting for the final results in 2026, the early signs have been promising enough that NHS England is taking this seriously.
Several practical considerations will need addressing. One approach being discussed is targeting higher-risk groups first, for example, people over 50 (when cancer risk naturally increases) or younger individuals with genetic predispositions to certain cancers.
Cost-effectiveness will certainly be a key factor, but here's something to consider: detecting cancer early isn't just better for patients it's also saves costs for the health service. Late-stage cancer treatment is expensive, often requiring surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and lengthy hospital stays. If we can catch cancers early with a blood test, we could potentially save the NHS considerable resources while improving outcomes for patients.
Figure 4. Galleri Multi-Cancer Test - Timeline of Development
What the Future Might Hold
These results represent a significant step forward in cancer detection. We're potentially looking at a development that could work alongside existing screening programmes to catch cancers that currently slip through the net.
The PATHFINDER 2 results, combined with the ongoing NHS-Galleri trial, are providing valuable evidence. The data is being submitted to regulatory authorities for review, and the NHS trial will help determine how this approach could work within the UK healthcare system.
If these findings hold up in larger, longer-term studies, we could see multi-cancer blood tests become part of routine health monitoring for certain age groups or risk categories in the coming years. It's an exciting prospect, though there are still questions to answer about the best way to implement such testing.
What This Could Mean for You
If this technology becomes widely available, the future of cancer screening could look quite different. Your annual health check might include a blood test that screens for multiple cancer types simultaneously. Cancers that currently have poor survival rates because they're caught late could be detected months or even years earlier, when treatment is most effective.
We could see improvements in cancer survival statistics, more people receiving treatment at earlier stages, and better outcomes overall for many cancer types.
Taking Care of Your Health Today
While we wait for these developments to become standard practice, there's good sense in being proactive about your health. At Health Klinix, we're passionate about preventative healthcare and believe in understanding your health status before problems arise.
Comprehensive health assessments provide valuable baseline information about your wellbeing and can help identify potential concerns early.
For men, our Well Man Check provides a thorough assessment covering key health markers relevant to men's health, from cardiovascular risk factors to prostate health indicators. The check includes detailed blood tests and a written report, with a health consultation available as an optional extra if you'd like to discuss your results in detail.
For women, our Well Woman Check offers a comprehensive evaluation tailored to women's health needs, covering hormonal health, cardiovascular screening, and other important markers. This also includes detailed blood tests and a written report, with the option to add a health consultation.
These checks give you a thorough overview of your current health status, which is valuable for early identification of potential concerns and for monitoring changes over time.
Finally...
The future of cancer detection looks promising, and it's closer than you might think. In the meantime, regular health monitoring, awareness of your body, and acting promptly on any concerns remain your best approach to maintaining good health. Early detection, when possible, generally offers more options for effective management.
After all, when it comes to your health, staying informed puts you in the best position to make the right decisions.
Sources and References:
GRAIL PATHFINDER 2 Results Show Galleri® Multi-Cancer Early Detection Blood Test Increased Cancer Detection More Than Seven-Fold When Added to USPSTF A and B Recommended Screenings. Available at: https://grail.com/press-releases/grail-pathfinder-2-results-show-galleri-multi-cancer-early-detection-blood-test-increased-cancer-detection-more-than-seven-fold-when-added-to-uspstf-a-and-b-recommended-screenings/
Schrag D, Beer TM, McDonnell CH 3rd, et al. Blood-based tests for multicancer early detection (PATHFINDER): a prospective cohort study. Lancet. 2023;402(10409):1251-1260. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01700-2. Available at https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)01700-2/abstract
Nuffield Trust. Cancer screening. Available at: https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/breast-and-cervical-cancer-screening
Neal RD, Johnson P, Clarke CA, et al. Cell-free DNA-based multi-cancer early detection test in an asymptomatic screening population (NHS-Galleri): design of a pragmatic, prospective randomised controlled trial. Cancers. 2022;14(19):4818. doi:10.3390/cancers14194818. Available at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9564213/
Frontiers in Oncology. Clinical referral to the NHS following multi-cancer early detection test results from the NHS-Galleri trial. 2025;15:1511816. Available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1511816/full
Written and Approved by:
Consultant Physician in Infectious Diseases
MBBS, MRCP(UK), MRCGP, DTM&H, DCH, DRCOG, DFFP