Can a simple blood test improve seniors’ lives through earlier cancer detection?
Can a simple blood test improve the lives of seniors through early cancer detection? A three-year clinical trial hopes to find the answer.
The study, known as REACH (NCT05673018), will compare outcomes for up to 50,000 Medicare patients who receive standard medical care, plus an annual Galleri multi-cancer early detection test with those who receive standard care alone. The Galleri test, developed by biotechnology company GRAIL, is designed to detect signals associated with multiple types of cancer through a single blood draw.
Enrollment for the study is focused on recruiting participants who reflect the broader Medicare population, including individuals who have traditionally been underrepresented in clinical research, according to Mercy officials.
“Mercy was among the first health systems in its region to make multi-cancer early detection testing available to patients and previously participated in GRAIL’s early clinical trials,” said Dr. Damon Broyles, Mercy’s vice president of clinical innovation and principal investigator for the REACH study.
“We are always looking for innovative screening and treatment options,” Broyles said. “It was important for Mercy to participate in the REACH study to help expand real-world evidence around the Galleri test and to strengthen the data that could ultimately help inform coverage decisions for Medicare beneficiaries.”
Age remains the single greatest risk factor for cancer, making early detection a significant public health concern for older adults. Nearly 70% of cancer-related deaths in the United States last year occurred among people age 65 and older, and more than half of all new cancer diagnoses are made in Medicare beneficiaries.
Data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program show the median age for a cancer diagnosis in the United States is 67. The median age varies by cancer type, including 63 for breast cancer, 66 for colorectal cancer, 71 for lung cancer and 68 for prostate cancer.
While many cancers have established screening tools, several aggressive cancers lack routine screening options and are often diagnosed at advanced stages. Multi-cancer early detection tests are intended to complement existing screening programs by identifying potential cancers earlier, when treatment options may be less invasive and outcomes more favorable.
The REACH study is designed to examine not only cancer detection rates and stage at diagnosis, but also broader outcomes, including overall health care utilization and costs over the three-year study period. Researchers aim to better understand how multi-cancer early detection testing performs when used in real-world clinical settings across a large and diverse patient population.
Patients who are age 50 and older and enrolled in Medicare may be eligible to participate in the study. Individuals interested in learning more about enrollment can contact Mercy Research at MercyResearchREACHStudy@Mercy.Net.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
