Thousands of south east Londoners help NHS trial new cancer screening test

'NHS Galleri Trial'

Thousands of volunteers who live in south east London have been invited to return to mobile clinics across Bromley, Lewisham and Southwark for their second appointment as part of the NHS-Galleri trial.

The NHS-Galleri trial is looking into the use of a new blood test to see if it can help the NHS to detect cancer early when used alongside existing cancer screening.

Participants will be asked to give another blood sample to help investigate whether a blood screening test can help to detect cancers that are typically difficult to identify early – such as head and neck, lung and pancreatic cancers. The test works by finding chemical changes in fragments of DNA that leak from tumours into the bloodstream. 

The mobile clinics will be operating in the following locations over the next few months:

• Sainsbury’s, Southend Lane, Sydenham, SE26 4PU:

20^th to 30^th September 2022.

• Bromley North Train Station, Tweedy Road, BR1 3NN:

6^th to 26^th October 2022.

• Plumstead Health Centre, Tewson Road, SE18 1BH:

28^th November to 9^th December 2022.

• Lidl, Old Kent Rd, SE15 1NJ:

30^th November to 23^rd December 2022.

• Gallions Reach Health Centre, Bentham Road, SE28 8BE:

12^th December to 16^th December 2022.

Since the NHS-Galleri trial first arrived in south east London last September – with the first mobile clinic in Sydenham - the trial has successfully enrolled over 140,000 volunteers from many different ethnic backgrounds across England, including 9000 volunteers from south east London.

Those taking part were all aged 50 to 77 years old, at the point of enrolling onto the trial, and had not been diagnosed or treated for cancer in the last three years.

The NHS-Galleri trial is being run by Cancer Research UK and King’s College London Cancer Prevention Trials Unit in partnership with the healthcare company, GRAIL, who developed the Galleri test.

The trial is also operating with the support of eight NHS Cancer Alliances across England, including the South East London Cancer Alliance, which works with local NHS services to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment for patients.

Sean McCloy, Managing Director for the South East London Cancer Alliance, said:

“We are delighted to be welcoming back our volunteers for their second appointment as part of this vital trial.

“If you receive an invitation letter, please follow the instructions to book an appointment online or via the dedicated phone line.

“It is important that as many people as possible attend their appointment as it will help us understand how to offer the test to people in the future.”

After this round of second appointments, volunteers across south east London will be asked to come back for a third time in around one year from now. Participants who have changed address or contact details since joining the trial, are also encouraged to go to nhs.galleri.org/check to update their details.