The cancer blood test making waves – and what the numbers really show

The Conversation
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The Galleri blood test could improve cancer screening by detecting 50 types of cancer early. However, its effectiveness and accuracy raise concerns.
The cancer blood test making waves – and what the numbers really show
A What happened
The Galleri blood test, created by Grail, has generated excitement for its ability to detect signals from 50 types of cancer. In trials, it demonstrated a 62% positive predictive value, meaning that 62% of those who tested positive actually had cancer. However, this also means that 38% of positive results were false alarms. The test's specificity is high, with a 99.6% success rate in correctly identifying those without cancer. Yet, its sensitivity is concerning at only 40.4%, indicating that it misses about three out of five cancers. This raises the risk of false reassurance for patients. While the test could be a valuable tool in future screening programs, its limitations and high cost of $949 in the US suggest it is not a standalone solution for cancer detection.

Key insights

  • 1

    High specificity

    The test accurately identifies 99.6% of cancer-free individuals.

  • 2

    Low sensitivity

    It misses around 60% of actual cancer cases.

  • 3

    False positives concern

    Testing over 26 million could lead to over 100,000 false positives.

  • 4

    Costly test

    The Galleri test costs $949, limiting accessibility.

Takeaways

While the Galleri blood test shows promise for early cancer detection, its limitations in sensitivity and high cost mean it should be used cautiously and not as a definitive diagnostic tool.

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