Summary:
GRAIL, Inc. and Quest Diagnostics have integrated the Galleri multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test into Quest’s connectivity system, streamlining provider access and expanding patient availability through Quest’s nationwide network.

Takeaways:

  1. Providers can now order the Galleri MCED test directly through Quest’s connectivity system, simplifying the process.
  2. Patients with a physician’s order can access the test at Quest’s 7,400+ patient service centers without bringing a test kit.
  3. The test detects DNA “fingerprints” of multiple cancers from a single blood draw, aiding early detection and improving patient outcomes.

GRAIL, Inc., a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early when it can be cured, and Quest Diagnostics, a provider of diagnostic information services, today announced the initial phase of a program to improve provider access to GRAIL’s Galleri multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test. Providers can now order the Galleri test directly from GRAIL through the Quest Diagnostics connectivity system. The Quest Diagnostics connectivity system enables providers in the United States to order and receive reports of laboratory tests electronically through Quest’s Quanum laboratory portal and more than 900 electronic health record (EHR) systems. More than 500,000 providers used the Quest connectivity system last year.

Integration Will Streamline Galleri MCED Test Ordering

The integration will help streamline the process of ordering the Galleri MCED test for physicians. It will also increase availability by allowing patients access to the test at any of Quest’s approximately 7,400 patient access points nationwide. Patients with a test order from their physician can now go directly to Quest without needing to bring a Galleri test kit to the blood draw appointment. 

“Quest Diagnostics and GRAIL share a commitment to improving access to cancer screening and have worked productively together to enable patient access to GRAIL’s Galleri test via Quest’s phlebotomy network since 2021,” says Mark Gardner, senior vice president, Molecular Genomics and Oncology for Quest Diagnostics. “Integrating GRAIL’s Galleri test into the Quest connectivity system is the next step in this collaboration. We expect it to increase patient access by giving Quest’s provider clients the ability to seamlessly order the test through Quest, same as they do for other blood work. This collaboration brings to life the tremendous value of Quest’s ability to scale diagnostic innovation to make it accessible for all.”

Finding Cancer’s “Fingerprint”

Cancers growing in the body shed DNA into the bloodstream. These DNA fragments act like a unique “fingerprint” of cancer. With a single blood draw, the Galleri test screens for the “fingerprint” of many of the deadliest cancers before they become symptomatic, including those with no recommended screening tests today. It can also provide doctors with information on the cancer’s origin to help predict the tissue type or organ associated with the cancer signal. The Galleri test is prescription only, recommended for adults with an elevated risk for cancer, such as those age 50 or older, and is to be used in addition to recommended cancer screenings.

“We know every minute counts for busy providers, their staff and their patients, which is why we’re so pleased to work with Quest to offer a seamless experience that fits into providers’ existing ordering process,” says Josh Ofman, MD, MSHS, president at GRAIL. “While today there are recommended screenings for five cancers, nearly 70% of deaths are caused by cancers with no recommended screening test. We believe this integration will help to make it easier to incorporate the Galleri test into routine exams to help screen for cancer before it becomes symptomatic when outcomes may be improved.”

Featured Image: Md Babul Hosen | Dreamstime.com