Kevin’s story
Esophageal Cancer
Kevin McFarland has dedicated his life to service. A firefighter for 30 years, he has always prioritized staying fit and healthy to meet the physical demands of his job. Though there were a few cancer cases in his extended family, he never considered himself at high risk.
When his fire department offered the Galleri test, Kevin saw the value immediately. The process was simple and convenient, just a routine blood draw.
“I felt that any screening is a good screening,” Kevin reflected. “I was all for it, I wasn’t worried. They made it so easy.”
Kevin’s test results showed a Cancer Signal Detected with a predicted origin in the esophagus. With no symptoms at all, the news came as a complete surprise. Further testing confirmed early-stage esophageal cancer, and Kevin underwent a minimally invasive surgery to remove the tumor.
“What’s unique about Kevin’s case is he presented at stage one, did not require chemo radiation upfront,” his surgeon, Dr. Robert Merritt, from the Ohio State University James Comprehensive Cancer Center, explained. “The impact of detecting this at an early stage opened the road for him to have a good chance at long-term survival.”
“He was smiles and he was like, ‘we got it,’” Kevin remembered hearing Dr. Merritt say after surgery. “And when somebody, just with confidence, tells you ‘we got it,’ it made me feel good. They were just excited to see something caught this early that they could treat.”
For Kevin, the experience reinforced the importance of early detection and community support.
“I’ve been on the other side of it helping families and stuff throughout the years, but to be on this side of it really shows you the true brotherhood and family of the fire service,” he said.
“By doing this test, I think I’m given more time.”
The Galleri test does not detect a signal for all cancers, and not all cancers can be detected in the blood. False-positive and false-negative results do occur. Galleri is a screening test and does not diagnose cancer. Diagnostic testing is needed to confirm cancer. The Galleri test should be used in addition to healthcare provider recommended screening tests.
The overall sensitivity in study participants with esophageal cancer was 85.0% (12.5% for stage I, 64.7% stage II, 94.7% stage III, 100% stage IV).
Important Safety Information
The Galleri test is recommended for use in adults with an elevated risk for cancer, such as those aged 50 or older. The Galleri test does not detect all cancers and should be used in addition to routine cancer screening tests recommended by a healthcare provider. Galleri is intended to detect cancer signals and predict where in the body the cancer signal is located. Use of Galleri is not recommended in individuals who are pregnant, 21 years old or younger, or undergoing active cancer treatment.
Results should be interpreted by a healthcare provider in the context of medical history, clinical signs and symptoms. A test result of “Cancer Signal Not Detected” does not rule out cancer. A test result of “Cancer Signal Detected” requires confirmatory diagnostic evaluation by medically established procedures (e.g. imaging) to confirm cancer.
If cancer is not confirmed with further testing, it could mean that cancer is not present or testing was insufficient to detect cancer, including due to the cancer being located in a different part of the body. False-positive (a cancer signal detected when cancer is not present) and false-negative (a cancer signal not detected when cancer is present) test results do occur. Rx only.
Laboratory/test information
GRAIL’s clinical laboratory is certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) and accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP). The Galleri test was developed, and its performance characteristics were determined by GRAIL. The Galleri test has not been cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. GRAIL’s clinical laboratory is regulated under CLIA to perform high-complexity testing. The Galleri test is intended for clinical purposes.