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Multi-cancer blood test boosts early detection 6.5-fold in a large study
PATHFINDER 2 results, published in Nature Medicine, support GRAIL's Galleri test ahead of an FDA advisory review.
Oregon Health & Science University researchers published PATHFINDER 2 results on 22 September 2026 showing GRAIL's Galleri test substantially increased cancer detection when added to standard screening. The findings appeared in Nature Medicine and were due to be presented to an FDA advisory committee. The test looks for signals of more than 50 cancer types in cell-free DNA.
What holds up
- ✓Publication in Nature Medicine and the lead author are confirmed by OHSU.
- ✓An FDA advisory committee review was scheduled after the study's release.
What doesn't yet
- ?The '6.5-fold' figure is the study's own result and has not yet been assessed by regulators.
- ?Performance in more diverse, real-world populations is unresolved.
- ?GRAIL, the manufacturer, has a commercial interest in favorable results.
Ask before you share
- →Will the FDA panel endorse approval?
- →How will the test perform in groups with different risk profiles?
- →What will it cost, and who will be able to access it?
Sources & original reporting
- [1]OHSU News · Published 22 Sept 2026 · news.ohsu.edu