Multi-Cancer Screening Tests: Communicating About Risks Should be Prioritized
In June of 2021, Klein and colleagues1 reported the results of a prospective, case-controlled, observational study on the clinical validity of a multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test developed by GRAIL, Inc. Based on a blood draw providing cell-free DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and its interpretation through machine learning, this test has been developed with the aim of increasing the number of detected cancers through population screening. The authors reported a specificity for cancer signal detection of 99.5% and an overall sensitivity of 51.5%.