What does this test offer?
Our Early Cancer Screening blood test checks your blood sample for Circulating Tumour Cells (CTCs), and clusters of the cells. These cells are present in the blood of almost every cancer patient, verified through clinical validations on more than 40,000 participants.
Brand new in the UK, this test is revolutionising the ability to detect cancer at its earliest stages, and we are proud to be one of the first providers in the country to offer it to the British public.
A non-invasive procedure, this test requires a simple blood test appointment to draw a small sample from a vein in your arm. This sample is then analysed at a leading UK laboratory to detect the existence of any CTCs and therefore to determine whether you have any cancers currently in your body.
Why is this test so revolutionary?
Launched in the UK in late 2022 after rigorous clinical trials, this test is brand new to the diagnostic screening industry. It is the only test available publicly to check for Circulating Tumour Cells (CTCs), detecting even the tiniest existence of cancer from a small blood sample.
Highly accurate, it not only identifies whether you have CTCs, but also where they originated. This means you know where in your body the primary tumour is located, speeding up diagnosis and treatment, and enabling doctors to focus treatment on the required areas.
Which cancers does the test check for?
Our test can identify a wide range of solid organ cancers (cancers which affect organs, rather than blood) including:
- Melanoma
- Head and Neck
- Salivary Gland
- Thyroid
- Lung
- Breast
- Liver
- Biliary Tract
- Gastrointestinal
- Soft Tissue
- Osteosarcomas
- Mesothelioma
- Urinary Tract
- Gynaecological
- Prostate
- Thymus
- Adrenal
- Central Nervous System
What if my results come back as ‘positive’?
A positive result means that CTCs have been found in your blood. The test results will indicate the location for the select type of cancers with high accuracy, and in other cancers the tissue of origin can be identified with reasonable accuracy. This means we can tell you where the cancer started developing in your body.
With any positive result, a member of the clinical team will call you personally to discuss your results, what they mean and guide you on your next steps.
Does a ‘negative’ result mean that I am ‘totally’ cancer free?
A negative result means that at the time of the test there were no detectable cancer cells for the cancers included within the test, circulating in your blood. It does not mean that you will never develop cancer. For any cancers not covered by the test, no inference should be drawn from a negative result.
Are there any restrictions on who can take this test?
We have certain clinical requirements that you must fulfil in order to be eligible to take this test. You will need to complete an online form when you checkout to confirm these and they will be checked during a pre-assessment call with a medical professional.
To take this test you must:
- Be 40 years of age or older.
- Not have any symptoms of cancer currently. If you have suspected symptoms, you should visit your GP urgently.
- Not have any clinical or radiological suspicion of cancer currently.
- Have not ever been diagnosed with any type of cancer.
- Have not previously had any treatment for any type of cancer.
- Not have a blood transfusion within 72 hours of your blood draw appointment.
How frequently should I take this test?
As this early cancer screening test is non-invasive, there is no disadvantage to frequent testing. However, we advise that this test should be performed every 12 months in the case of each negative result, perhaps as part of an annual complete health check process.
How does the test process work?
Via Goodbody you will arrange an appointment with a phlebotomist, not a GP, at a clinic of your choice.
We will send you a test kit to take along to your appointment which includes all the required paperwork and equipment to complete your sample.
After your appointment, the blood sample and forms must be sent back to the laboratory for analysis. Results are typically returned within 4 weeks.
