Mayo Clinic today recognized a multi-cancer early cancer detection (MCED) test called Galleri™ that can detect more than 50 types of cancers through a simple blood draw. The Galleri test is intended  to complement U.S. guideline-recommended cancer screenings.

Mayo Clinic Oncologist Minetta Liu, M.D. was involved in the development of the new test.

“Today, many cancers are found too late, leading to poor outcomes,” says Dr. Liu. “The ability to detect cancer early is critical to successful treatment.”

Cancer is expected to become the leading cause of death in the U.S. this year. Currently recommended cancer screening tests only cover five cancer types and screen for a single cancer at a time. In fact, there are no recommended early detection screening tests for other cancers, which account for 71% of cancer deaths.

Researchers used the Galleri test in the Circulating Cell-free Genome Atlas (CCGA) Study, a prospective, observational, longitudinal study designed to characterize the landscape of genomic cancer signals in the blood of people with and without cancer. In the study, the Galleri test demonstrated the ability to detect more than 50 types of cancers — over 45 of which have no recommended screening tests today — with a low false-positive rate of less than 1%.

According to Dr. Liu, when a cancer signal is detected, the Galleri test can identify where in the body the cancer is located with high accuracy — a critical component to help enable health care providers to direct diagnostic next steps and care.

“We are grateful to Mayo Clinic for its dedication to advancing new technologies for early cancer detection and for playing a pivotal role in the development of Galleri,” says Dr. Josh Ofman, chief medical officer and head of external affairs at GRAIL.“A simple blood test capable of detecting more than 50 cancers is a ground-breaking advancement and could have a tremendous human and economic benefit.”

Initial results from the interventional PATHFINDER Study, which involved the return of Galleri test results to providers to communicate to participants, were presented today at the 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. They demonstrate Galleri’s performance in the clinical setting was consistent with findings from previous observational studies, underscoring the potential real-world ability of Galleri to find deadly cancers earlier.

The Galleri test is for those at an elevated risk of cancer, such as adults age 50 or older and is available by prescription only.

Dr. Liu is the co-director of the Genomics in Action Program within the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine, research chair of the Department of Oncology, and a consultant in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology. Dr. Liu conducts patient-oriented research focused on developing clinically relevant molecular markers to allow for the most accurate prediction of treatment benefit and patient outcomes in solid tumor malignancies. She also researches multi-cancer early cancer detection through blood assays and develops novel therapeutics to improve survival in early-stage and metastatic breast cancer.

^[1] Liu MC, Oxnard GR, Klein EA, Swanton C, Seiden MV, Liu MC, Oxnard GR, Klein EA, Smith D, Richards D, Yeatman TJ. Sensitive and specific multi-cancer detection and localization using methylation signatures in cell-free DNA. Ann Oncol. 2020;31(6):745-59.

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On the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast, Dr. Michael Joyner, an anesthesiologist and human performance expert at Mayo Clinic, discusses the most recent exercise guidelines and ways to get people moving. Dr. Joyner also discuss elite athlete performance and the possibility of someone running a marathon in under two hours. Also on the podcast, Dr. Minetta Liu, an oncologist at Mayo Clinic, explains how liquid biopsy may individualize cancer treatments. And Dr. P James Dyck, a neurologist at Mayo Clinic, discusses Guillain-Barré syndrome.

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According to updated physical fitness guidelines issued recently by the Department of Health and Human Services, less than one-third of Americans — and only 1 in 5 teenagers — are getting the recommended amount of exercise each week. The current recommendation for adults is to get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity and two sessions of muscle strengthening per week. For children ages 6–17, 60 minutes per day of moderate aerobic activity and two sessions of muscle strengthening per week is recommended. While the updated guidelines recommend the same amount of exercise as the original standards released in 2008, they don’t require the physical activity to occur in at least 10-minute blocks. The message is every little bit helps.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Michael Joyner, an anesthesiologist and human performance expert at Mayo Clinic, will discuss the exercise guidelines and ways to get people moving. Dr. Joyner also will discuss elite athlete performance and the possibility of someone running a marathon in under two hours. Also on the program, Dr. Minetta Liu, an oncologist at Mayo Clinic, will explain how liquid biopsy may individualize cancer treatments. And Dr. P James Dyck, a neurologist at Mayo Clinic, will discuss Guillain-Barré syndrome.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Use the hashtag #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows or subscribe to the podcast.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: When it comes to exercise, every little bit helps appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Michael Joyner, an anesthesiologist and human performance expert at Mayo Clinic, will discuss the exercise guidelines and ways to get people moving. Dr. Joyner also will discuss elite athlete performance and the possibility of someone running a marathon in under two hours. Also on the program, Dr. Minetta Liu, an oncologist at Mayo Clinic, will explain how liquid biopsy may individualize cancer treatments. And Dr. P James Dyck, a neurologist at Mayo Clinic, will discuss Guillain-Barré syndrome.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Miss the show?  Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

Use the hashtag #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows or subscribe to the podcast.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Exercise guidelines / elite athletes / liquid biopsy / Guillain-Barré syndrome appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ANSWER: A liquid biopsy involves examining cancer-related material (like DNA) from a blood sample. At this time, a liquid biopsy can’t replace a tumor biopsy. But researchers are studying the benefits of, and best uses for, liquid biopsies. They show promise in guiding individualized approaches to cancer management. Eventually, liquid biopsies also may be able to help health care providers screen for some forms of cancer.

Cancer is characterized by cell changes, including mutations and other genetic alterations, which lead to the development of abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably. Identifying the specific alterations associated with a person’s cancer can help health care providers determine the best treatment for that individual.

The diagnosis and characterization of cancers require tissue sampling through a tumor biopsy. This involves taking a sample of the cancerous tissue or cells through an invasive procedure and examining the sample in a lab. Tumor biopsies offer a wealth of information for health care providers to use when developing a cancer treatment plan.

But biopsies have limitations. First, a tumor changes over time as it grows, spreads (metastasizes) and is exposed to anti-cancer medications. That means tumor biopsies taken when the disease is first diagnosed may not reflect the current state of the cancer. Second, repeating biopsies to get updated information about cancer is invasive and associated with potential complications, including pain, infection and bleeding. Third, cancer cells that spread to different areas of the body may differ somewhat from the cancer at the site where it started. As a result, a tumor biopsy from one part of the body is unlikely to adequately represent cancer throughout the body.

Going through multiple biopsy procedures is not practical and can be difficult on patients. Liquid biopsies may offer an alternative for monitoring cancer over time that is less expensive and less invasive, and thus easier to repeat, than tumor biopsies. In addition, genetic material from all sites of disease is released into the circulation, so blood sampling may provide a real-time, representative view of the evolving cancer throughout the body.

Information gained from liquid biopsies should help health care providers select the best therapy for a patient at a given time in the course of metastatic disease. Blood-based monitoring also may indicate the need to switch to a different treatment regimen before changes appear on an imaging exam. In the setting of early-stage cancer, periodically checking the blood for cancer signals after potentially curative therapy could identify patients who are at risk for recurrence. Some research suggests that liquid biopsies may be able to detect when cancer returns long before a tumor reappears. That could lead to earlier intervention and improved survival.

With continued research and technological improvements, the liquid biopsy ultimately may become a tool for cancer screening. Early detection is expected to improve cancer-related outcomes. This is particularly important for those cancers currently without effective methods of screening and prevention.

Although liquid biopsies still are being researched, the potential they offer to provide a new way to monitor the presence of cancer, track cancer’s response to treatment and watch for a recurrence of cancer using a blood test could be a significant step forward in cancer care. — Dr. Minetta C. Liu, Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

The post Mayo Clinic Q and A: What is a liquid biopsy? appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Minetta Liu, a medical oncologist at Mayo Clinic, will break down the latest results of the Mayo Clinic National Health Check Up. Also on the program, Dr. Myra Wick, a medical geneticist at Mayo Clinic, will explain the latest advances in prenatal screening. And Dr. Karthik Balakrishnan, an otolaryngologist at Mayo Clinic, will discuss treatment for pediatric ear, nose and throat problems.

Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

The post National Health Checkup / advances in prenatal screening / pediatric ear, nose and throat problems: Mayo Clinic Radio appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Minetta Liu, a medical oncologist at Mayo Clinic, will break down the latest results of the Mayo Clinic National Health Check Up. Also on the program, Dr. Myra Wick, a medical geneticist at Mayo Clinic, will explain the latest advances in prenatal screening. And Dr. Karthik Balakrishnan, an otolaryngologist at Mayo Clinic, will discuss treatment for pediatric ear, nose and throat problems.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: National Health Checkup appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Minetta Liu, a medical oncologist at Mayo Clinic, will break down the latest results of the Mayo Clinic National Health Check Up. Also on the program, Dr. Myra Wick, a medical geneticist at Mayo Clinic, will explain the latest advances in prenatal screening. And Dr. Karthik Balakrishnan, an otolaryngologist at Mayo Clinic, will discuss treatment for pediatric ear, nose and throat problems.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Miss the show?  Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: National Health Checkup / advances in prenatal screening / pediatric ear, nose and throat problems appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Individualized medicine — the concept of matching medical care precisely to each patient’s genes, lifestyle and environment is no longer  just a theory. Experts in individualized medicine — also known as personalized or precision medicine — will be in Rochester Oct. 9-10, presenting the latest ways to apply precision medicine to all patients. They are available for interviews on groundbreaking discoveries at Individualizing Medicine 2017: Advancing Care Through Genomics, which will be held at Mayo Civic Center.

Members of the media are invited to interview these experts on the following topics.

From cancer to cardiovascular care and neurological diseases– the newest ways genetic testing is advancing precise diagnosis and treatment of patients; Keith Stewart, M.B., Ch.B., director, Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine.
With improving technology, DNA sequencing is getting faster and cheaper. That has made possible new opportunities to apply DNA testing to precision care – from people with low blood counts to those with genetically inherited high cholesterol. Dr. Stewart can discuss how advanced genetic tests further his vision that all patients can benefit from an individualized approach to diagnosis and treatment.

Genetic testing to manage pain in light of the opioid addiction crisis.
Pharmacogenomics matches the right drug at the right dose at the right time for you based on your genetic makeup to:

• Manage pain more safely and effectively to avoid opioid over prescriptions- Timothy Curry, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine; Halena Gazelka, M.D., Mayo Clinic; Wayne Nicholson, M.D., Pharm.D., Mayo Clinic; William Mauck, M.D., Mayo Clinic; Gordon University of Zagreb & Genos Glycoscience Research Laboratory.
  Pharmacogenomics testing is emerging an individualized approach to finding therapies that relieve pain with fewer side effects. Understanding how a person’s genes interact with medication holds possibilities of identifying which patients would benefit from appropriate use of opioids and which may be at risk of abuse.
• Individualized therapies for quitting smoking – Rachel Tyndale, Ph.D., professor of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and University of Toronto.
  Dr. Tyndale is taking the struggle to quit smoking to the molecular level. She can share her team’s research into how a person’s genetic makeup impacts addiction and drug response.

Mayo Clinic is a leader in bringing pharmacogenomics to patients.The following experts who can talk about the importance of proactive pharmacogenomics testing:

• Richard Weinshilboum, M.D., Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine Dr. Weinshilboum can help you understand why some medications cause side effects while others don’t seem to work at all. As co-director of the Pharmacogenomics Program at the Center for Individualized Medicine, Dr. Weinshilboum studies which medications are best suited to a person’s individual genome.
• Physician testimonials – Potential lifesaving discoveries surfaced when a group of Mayo Clinic providers had pharmacogenomic genetic testing. Physicians can share the significance of what they learned and how it changed their approach to their own medical care. *A physician-patient story is available.
  

NIH’s All of Us Research Program, part of the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) – Stephanie Devaney, Ph.D., Deputy director, All of Us Research Program.
Dr. Devaney can speak on the Precision Medicine Initiative All of Us Research Program. This unprecedented study is enrolling 1 million or more people into a research cohort to advance an individualized approach to managing health and disease. Mayo Clinic’s biobank will store participants’ blood and biospecimens used in the research.

Personal Genomics: home DNA tests; DNA sequencing of all newborns and healthy people– Robert Green, M.D., – Medical geneticist, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Green can speak to questions about home DNA test kits that are being marketed across the internet as well as on TV. He co-directs the NIH-funded PGen Study, one of the first to explore direct-to-consumer (home DNA) genetic testing services. He also leads the MedSeq and the BabySeq Projects that examines the use of genomic sequencing in patients who are healthy and those with hereditary disease.

Rare and undiagnosed diseases are more common than you think – William Gahl, M.D., Ph.D., Clinical Director, National Human Genome Research Institute;
Dusica Babovic, M.D., Chair, Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic.
As many as 30 million Americans suffer from some form of a rare disease. Many people with mysterious conditions suffer for years without a diagnosis. The need to solve undiagnosed disease cases has grown into an international network. Dr. Gahl, head of the NIH Rare and Undiagnosed Diseases Program, can speak about how genetic testing brings an individualized approach to unsolved cases. *Patient story available.

Genomic testing on blood to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment – Minetta Liu, M.D., Division of Medical Oncology and Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology,  Mayo Clinic.
Mayo Clinic is optimizing gene panels capable of detecting cancer through blood tests that screen for DNA and cells from tumors. These tests could catch some early cancer cases that current screening methods miss. Dr. Liu will speak about the impact on diagnosis and treatment for cancer patients.

How your microbiome – the community of bacteria in your gut – impacts your health –Rob Knight, Ph.D., Director, Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California, San Diego; David Relman, M.D., Stanford University; Purna Kashyap, M.B.B.S., Mayo Clinic.
These experts can speak to the term “trust your gut,” when it comes to fighting disease. From individualized diets to connections to rheumatoid arthritis, your microbiome is important to not just a healthy digestive system, but also to your overall health.

Additional information

For media covering the conference on site, Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine will offer patient interviews with those suffering from a rare disease as well as testimonials from physicians who went through pharmacogenomics testing.

Dr. Stewart is the Carlson and Nelson Endowed Director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine. He is also recognized as the Vasek and Anna Maria Polak Professor of Cancer Research.

Dr. Weinshilboum is the Mary Lou and John H. Dasburg Professor of Cancer Genomics, professor of medicine and pharmacology at the Mayo College of Medicine and Science, and the Pharmacogenomics program director at the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine.
The Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine is hosting the conference with support from the Jackson Family Foundation.
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About Center for Individualized Medicine
Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine discovers, translates and applies new findings in genomic research into individualized medicine products and services for patients everywhere. For more information, visit mayoresearch.mayo.edu/center-for-individualized-medicine.

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to medical research and education, and providing expert, comprehensive care to everyone who needs healing. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic or newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Susan Buckles, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Moving from the research lab to clinical care: Precision medicine coming to your medical provider’s office appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

More than 1,100 adults took part in the September 2017 round of the biannual survey of American health opinions and behaviors, revealing obstacles and opportunities in cancer care.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video pkg (0:59) is in the downloads. Read the script.

"The survey, in aggregate, was just eye-opening," says Dr. Minetta Liu, a Mayo Clinic medical oncologist.

Dr. Liu says the results reveal obstacles to cancer care – beginning when symptoms occur.

"The barrier seems to be getting to the physician to tell them that," adds Dr. Liu.

Financial concerns, insurance and time for appointments are the top three barriers.

The survey also revealed opportunities in cancer screening and prevention education.

"From the prevention perspective, I think we are all taking more responsibility for our own health, which is incredibly encouraging," explains Dr. Liu.

Nine out of 10 Americans report knowing their family history of cancer, with 95 percent taking one or more steps to avoid the disease – including avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol and eating healthy.

"We all have responsibilities, whether you’re a researcher, a provider, someone in the industry, or a patient themselves," says Dr. Liu. "We all need to be contributing to help take this forward."

For results on attitudes about skin and colon cancer screenings and the HPV cancer vaccine, visit the Mayo Clinic National Health Checkup website.

The post National Health Checkup: Obstacles, opportunities in cancer care appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.