Cancer is a dominant uncontrollable disease that leads to painful death. With the rising number of cancer patients, it has become high time to think for the betterment of cancer sufferers. In the past year, this dreadful disease accounts for about 1 crore deaths according to the World Health Organization. Many of the losing battles against cancer are because of the high cost of diagnosis and costly treatments. Aiming to achieve a proper cure for this deadly illness, the National Health Service, Britain state-run organization, has launched a trial that can help in reducing the cost of diagnosis and treatment in several countries including India, further promoting good health and increasing the number of cancer survivors. 

The NHS has initiated a step towards bringing relief to cancer sufferers. The worldÂs biggest trial of Grail Inc flagship Galleri blood test will help in detecting 50 cancer types even before the symptoms appear in the person. Further, if the trial comes out to be successful it will do wonders for cancer patients who deal with enormous pain every single day. The trial is the first of its kind and directs 140,000 people in eight different areas to check the credibility of the test. 

ÂCarried out as a quick and simple blood test, says NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard, ÂThis could mark the beginning of a revolution in cancer detection and treatment here and around the world.Â

ÂBy finding cancer before signs and symptoms even appear, we have the best chance of treating it and we can give people the best possible chance of survival, Pritchard suggested.

ÂWhat it means to India and even to the rest of the world is that the investigations being performed will have a precursor to them, so their cost will come down considerably for investigations themselves, said Dr. Mamta Rao, Consultant Radiologist in the UK.

Harriet Buckingham, who was first told about her breast cancer in 2013, said the trial would have made a world of difference for her had her cancer been detected early. ÂBy the time I found my lump, cancer had traveled to my lymph nodes. Had my cancer been detected earlier my treatment would have been less scary perhaps, said Harriet, who has now fully recovered.

The National Cancer Registry Program in India said that out of every 68 men 1 man will likely succumb to lung cancer, 1 in 29 females will have to go through breast cancer and 1 in 9 Indians will have to live with cancer in their life span. The cancer trial is expected to have a good effect on certain cancer patients which involves the head, neck, lungs, bowel, pancreatic, and throat areas. 

Dr. Preetha Arvind says, “this test endeavors to pick up earlier cancers that would not be detected routinely.” Further told, “Screening programs pick up only certain types of tumors but this one could possibly detect cancers that donÂt have screening programs.Â

Most men are inclined towards the oral cavity, lung, stomach, colorectal and oesophagus cancer. Whereas women suffer from breast, oral cavity, cervices, lung, and gastric cancers. ÂOral cavity, stomach, and gastric are some of the cancers that donÂt yet have any screening programs. Therefore, a blood test like this could be a gamechanger, Dr. Preeta Arvind said.

The study shows that it is expected to see results by 2023 and if the test becomes successful then the NHS will roll out more increased trials for around 1 million people till 2024 & 2025. And if everything works out as per the plan then the test will be available by 2026, said Dr. Mamta Rao 
Continue Reading on The India Saga