Trucheck, a new blood-based new screening test that detects more than 70 types of cancer, has been launched. 

Certior Health has partnered with Datar Cancer Genetics Europe to launch the new screening test in Ireland, which is aimed at detecting circulating tumour cells in the blood.

On The Pat Kenny Show, CEO of Certior Health Maggie Malone said her interest in early cancer detection stems from her own experience with the illness.

"I was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer so I was very lucky to catch it early, and as a result of that, I only had to have minor surgery and I didn't have to have chemo or major surgery," she said.

"This test tests for over 70 types of cancers, so there's a lot of cancers that aren't screened for and so it's great to have a test where you can [test for them]."

Certior Health Chief Medical Officer Dr Nick Flynn, who has had two cancer diagnoses, said early diagnoses lead to "less treatment, less complicated surgeries, less chemotherapy, less radiotherapy, and in the long term, you have a four-fold increase in survival."

The test

Ms Malone said the test conducts these early diagnoses via a blood draw, which detects cells released by tumours into the bloodstream.

"The second part of the test is to identify which organ those tumour cells are related to," she said.

"This test will detect a stage zero cancer or a stage one cancer because it's a molecular level test, it can detect very, very early stage cancers or types of cancer.

"[It can detect] 70 different types of cancers – everything from insight to sarcomas, gliomas, but for up to 40 different organs.

"For cancers that don't have a screening programme like lung cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic brain, thyroid, kidney cancer, all of those cancers will be covered by this test."

Target groups

Dr Flynn said the test is targeted at "patients who are over 40 and asymptomatic."

"The patients should not have symptoms, they also should not have a previous history of cancer to undertake this test," he said.

"We're really looking to patients who want to add a cancer screening test to their annual health check, who maybe have a family history of cancer or who, for maybe environmental reasons – for example, smoking – perceive themselves to a higher risk of cancer.

"Particularly with cancer, we know that family history is a significant factor for a lot of cancers.

"Our test complements the existing tests and it doesn't replace them, so people should always engage with the established cancer screening programmes that the HSE has."

Accessibility

Ms Malone said Certior Health is working to make the test more accessible.

"We are talking to the health insurance companies to include it in their benefits programmes," she said.

"We also had a lot of interest from employers to include this as an employee benefit.

"It ranges from €750 up to €1450 for the larger test that looks for the 70 different types of cancer.

"We are working on trying to make it more accessible and we'll always be working to try and bring the price down."

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