A blood test that can detect more than 50 different types of cancers has shown promising results in a trial involving thousands of patients who have visited NHS institutions, scientists said.
British news agency PA Media reported on Friday that the Gallery test could pinpoint the source of the disease inside the body with great accuracy.
In the Simplyfy clinical trial, the test detected signs of cancer in 323 of the 6238,<> people who visited the General Hospital in England and Wales for suspicious symptoms.
Of the 323 patients, 244 were diagnosed after testing with cancer, with a positive predictive accuracy of 75 percent, the researchers said.
About 2% of patients who tested negative had cancer. Overall, the test correctly revealed a 66% cancer presence.
The accuracy of the test also depended on the stage of the cancer, ranging from 24% in the very early stage (stage I) of tumors to 95% of the advanced stage (stage IV).
The Gallery test works by looking for chemical changes in parts of the genetic code that leak from tumors into the bloodstream, but it doesn't detect all cancers and doesn't replace screening programs in the NHS such as those for breast, cervical and bowel cancers.