Cancer is a disease that affects millions of individuals around the world annually. Traditional cancer detection procedures are time-consuming, and often associated with an increase in personal and economic burden. The Galleri test is an alternative screening test with promising results. Individuals eligible for the Galleri test include adults with an elevated risk for cancer, individuals aged 50 and older, and individuals experiencing cancer symptoms. This multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test relies on circulating tumour cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in the bloodstream to detect over 52 types of cancer. In most cancer types, the detectability increases with cancer stage as the proportion of cfDNA in the bloodstream also increases with the cancer stage. Results from the test are received in 2 weeks following the blood draw and should be interpreted by your healthcare provider. Although the Galleri test has promising results, it brings with it a few limitations. The Galleri test does not detect all cancers, the test does not measure your genetic risk of developing cancer in the future, the test has not been cleared by the FDA, and most importantly, it should be used in addition to other screening procedures.

This video is provided for general and educational information only. It is meant to guide individuals that fit the eligibility criteria towards discussing the test with their healthcare providers.

Please consult your health care provider for any information about your health and any symptoms you may be experiencing.

This video was created by McMaster students; Helly Shah, Talia Amir, Alexandro Chu, Keny Patel, and Srustie Patel in collaboration with the McMaster Demystifying Medicine Program.

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Additional Resources:
https://www.galleri.com
https://www.illumina.com/science/tech...
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/...
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/s...
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/preve...

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