Wigan volunteers step forward in final part of trial to detect cancer earlier

Hundreds of Wigan residents who enrolled on the NHS-Galleri trial in 2021 will return to mobile clinics over the coming weeks for their last of three appointments.

They will be asked to give a blood sample to see if using the Galleri blood test alongside existing cancer screening can help detect cancer early.

More than 140,000 volunteers from across England, including 20,000 from Greater Manchester, enrolled on the trial.

Volunteers were aged 50 to 77 and had not been diagnosed or treated for cancer in the last three years.

Alison Armstrong, associate director at Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming back volunteers to Wigan for their last trial appointments. Even if you missed your appointment last year, your involvement this year will still help with this research.”

Sarah Price, chief officer for population and health inequalities at NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care, said: “We are truly grateful for the ongoing support of volunteers in Wigan.

“This trial continues to put the NHS at the forefront of cutting-edge research and technology. If this trial is a success, the Galleri blood test could play a major part in achieving the NHS Long Term Plan ambition to diagnose three quarters of cancers at an early stage when it is easier to treat.”

Prof Charles Swanton, co-chief investigator for the NHS-Galleri trial, said: “The information gathered from these last appointments is important to support trial results. We thank all volunteers for supporting the trial.

“Testing samples taken about 12 months apart will help researchers to understand how regularly people might need to be tested with the Galleri blood test in the future.”

The trial is being run by the Cancer Research UK and King’s College London Cancer Prevention Trials Unit, with the NHS and healthcare company GRAIL, which developed the test.

It works by analysing chemical patterns in fragments of DNA that are shed from tumours into the bloodstream.

Early research has shown it could help to detect cancers that are typically difficult to identify early, such as head and neck, bowel, lung, pancreatic and throat.

If early trial results are promising, the NHS may pilot the delivery of the test to a further million people.