SPRINGFIELD, Missouri — A new cancer screening test called Galleri may soon be fully approved for public use.
PhD. Barbara Bumberry from Mercy Hospital visited the studio to discuss the benefits of this new technology.
“It’s a blood test that picks up cancer signals from more than 50 different types of cancer,” Bumberry said. It can detect signs of some of the most common cancers, such as breast, colon and lung cancer. The test can also detect signs of less common cancers.
“Some of these cancers, by the time someone is diagnosed with it, it’s advanced enough that you really can’t necessarily do anything about it,” Bumberry said. Examples of these types include ovarian, lung, and pancreatic cancer. With proper early detection, the effects of these cancers may be reduced before they have time to cause more damage.
The false-positive rate for multiple cancer early detection tests is approximately 1 in 200 tests. That’s a pretty good accuracy rate, Bumberry said.
The test currently costs about $950 and is not covered by insurance. Once the test is fully approved, it may be covered by insurance. Galleri is approved for use in adults 22 and older.
Galleri received breakthrough device approval from the FDA in 2019.