A recent NHS-backed trial has shown that the Galleri blood test, developed by American firm Grail, could revolutionise early cancer detection.The test identifies fragments of cancerous DNA circulating in the blood, enabling doctors to detect over 50 types of cancer before symptoms arise.

Conducted from 2021 and involving over 142,000 adults aged 50 to 77, the trial found that nearly one per cent of participants had a positive result, with cancer later confirmed in 52 per cent of those cases.

The use of this test alongside existing screening programmes could reduce late-stage diagnoses by one in five, potentially saving up to 30,000 lives annually in the UK.Early detection is crucial, as survival rates drop significantly when cancer is diagnosed at stage four.Notably, stage four diagnoses of oesophageal and bowel cancers were substantially reduced in the trial.

Patients like Jan Kitching, 69, from Gateshead, had their stage two bowel cancer detected early through the test, enabling timely treatment and a full recovery.

Experts stress the need for further investment in diagnostics to integrate such tests into NHS pathways, offering a proactive approach to cancer management and improving long-term survival rates.