Update on Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawsuits
New Innovative Blood Test May Lead to Earlier Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Recruitment is still open for the PATHFINDER 2 Study using Galleri blood tests to detect cancer by searching for changes in the DNA that signal the presence of cancer and then predicting where the cancer is located in the body. Recent research in cases where the test detected a cancer signal, it also determined which organ it arose from with 93 percent accuracy. Galleri lists more than 50 types of cancer that their early detection test can detect through a simple blood draw, including mesothelioma.
The first PATHFINDER Study of an earlier version of Galleri included approximately 6,600 participants. Final results from this Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Study were announced in September, 2022. Here are some of their reported findings:
- Adding Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening to Standard of Care Screening More Than Doubled the Number of Cancers Detected
- 71% of Participants With MCED-Detected Cancers Had Cancer Types With No Routine Screening Tests Available
- Approximately Half of the MCED-Detected New Cancers Were Stage I or II
- MCED-Predicted Cancer Signal Origin Had 97.1% Accuracy and Enabled Targeted Diagnostic Evaluations
- MCED Screening was Implemented in Adults With Elevated Cancer Risk Without Study-Related Serious Adverse Events
- Participants Reported High Satisfaction and Low Negative Psychological Impact With MCED Screening
There are currently no screening tests available for mesothelioma and many other cancers, and by the time symptoms present, tumors are usually well established and the disease is advanced. So the ability to detect these cancers early has important implications for treatment.
The PATHFINDER 2 Study start date was December 8, 2021, however they are still recruiting participants. PATHFINDER 2 is estimated to be completed by July 30, 2026.