50 types of cancer could be detected even before the first signs. This, thanks to blood tests. This is revealed by a study conducted by a group of researchers. But it will take time before these results are validated, say Mauritian doctors.
A biomedical analysis professional considers that doing blood tests to detect cancer has many implications: medical, moral, social and psychological. It will also take time for this type of analysis to be approved and arrive in Mauritius, according to him. “There needs to be more specific and sensitive examinations and the techniques need to be readily available,” he says.
Early detection can save lives, underlines a source close to the file on the side of the Ministry of Health. “Standard cancer screening should be continued pending final results on the effectiveness of using Galleri as a screening tool for several cancers,” explains our contact.
He adds that the results of a major trial involving 165,000 people are expected next year and will determine the way forward for using Galleri as a genetic screening method.
An oncologist, who did not wish to be quoted, emphasizes that we should not rejoice too quickly.
“These are only preliminary and prospecting analyses. Further more in-depth research still needs to be carried out and the study shows that traces of cancer were noted in only 1.4% of the volunteers,” he says. Our interlocutor is however of the opinion that it would be a great advance on the medical level, if cancer could be detected early, and thus ensure better care. The treatment should also be lighter and the patients will have a better chance of survival, he points out. But the other side of the coin is that screening tests of the same type should be carried out regularly.
Gallery test
The oncologist also points out that no one is immune to cancer, which can occur due to multiple factors. “Nothing can prevent a person from getting cancer. There are non-modifiable factors (age and gender) and modifiable factors (sedentary lifestyle, alcohol and cigarette abuse and obesity, among others)”, explains our interlocutor. It therefore recommends a healthy lifestyle with the consumption of a healthy and balanced diet and the practice of regular physical activity. This, in order to delay or prevent the risk of having cancer.
Detect the first signs of cancer through blood tests and thus have the possibility of having an early diagnosis for better medical care. This is the bet that a group of researchers from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York wanted to take up. This, through the study called “Multi Cancer Early Detection”. 6,621 people over the age of 50 took part in this survey. None showed early signs of any cancer and had not been diagnosed with the disease either.
Known as the “Galleri test”, analyzes of circulating tumor DNA make it possible to identify genetic abnormalities in cancer cells. During the study, signs of cancer were detected in 92 people (1.4% of participants). These results were presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) congress, held in Paris a few days ago.
More than half of these 92 people were unaware they had a tumor, according to the study which detected cancers of the breast, liver, lungs, colon, but also blood, pancreas or ovary. These tumors, often detected late, leave a low survival rate. Previously, the first tests detected tumors in the blood of patients with known cancer.
“I think what’s exciting about this new paradigm and this new concept is that a lot of them were cancers that we don’t have standard screening for,” said lead researcher Dr Deb Schrag. on the study at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. However, opinions are divided on this subject among Mauritian specialists.