Safety and performance results from PATHFINDER 2, a registrational study of a multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test in an intended-use population.

K Karthik Giridhar (Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, MN) C Charles H. McDonnell (Sutter Institute for Medical Research, Sacramento, CA) D Dax Kurbegov (HCA Healthcare Sarah Cannon Cancer Network, Nashville, TN) M Marc Ryan Matrana (Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA) S Shirish M. Gadgeel (Division of Hematology-Oncology, Henry Ford Cancer Institute, Henry Ford Health, Detroit) R Raymond Kim (University Health Network, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada) G Gretchen Stipec (Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Long Beach, CA) K Kevin C. Oeffinger (DCI Center for Onco‐Primary Care Duke University Durham North Carolina USA) M Michael J. Demeure (Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, and Translational Genomics Research Institute, Newport Beach, CA) J James W. Lillard R Rebecca Davidson Kaltman (Saville Cancer Screening and Prevention Center, Inova Schar Cancer Institute, Fairfax, VA) J Jennifer Tran A Alan Roth (Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, Queens, NY) S Sami Tahhan (Easter Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA) A Andrew Stewart Poklepovic (VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Richmond, VA) D Donald A. Richards (Texas Oncology, Tyler, TX) R Rita Lopatin (GRAIL, Inc., Menlo Park, CA) C Celine Marquez (GRAIL, Inc., Menlo Park, CA) M Margaret Elizabeth McCusker (GRAIL, Inc., Menlo Park, CA) N Nima Nabavizadeh (Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR)

Abstract

LBA10509 Background: The MCED test (Galleri) detects a shared cancer signal from cell-free DNA in blood and predicts a cancer signal origin (CSO) to guide diagnostic (dx) workup. PF2 (NCT05155605) is a large, prospective, multicenter, interventional study of the MCED test’s performance and safety in a diverse US intended-use population. Methods: PF2 enrolled participants aged ≥50y without clinical suspicion of cancer or cancer diagnosis/treatment within 3y of enrollment. Primary objectives were MCED performance and safety in terms of dx testing triggered by a positive (cancer signal detected) MCED test result. Participants with a positive MCED test underwent targeted dx workup guided by the predicted CSO(s). Participant-reported anxiety was assessed with the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. Results: PF2 enrolled 35,878 participants; 32,007 with a 12m cancer assessment were analyzable for performance. Of 287 (0.9%) with a positive MCED test, 173 were diagnosed with cancer within 12m, for a cancer detection rate of 0.5% (95% CI 0.5-0.6%) and positive predictive value of 60.3% (54.5-65.8%). Specificity was 99.6% (99.6-99.7%). 12m episode sensitivity was 69.8% (62.8-76.0%) in a prespecified subgroup of 12 cancers responsible for ⅔ of US cancer deaths, 66.2% (55.1-75.8%) in a subgroup of 6 aggressive cancers with low 5y survival, and 39.3% (34.9-44.0%) across all cancers. Overall CSO prediction accuracy was 91.3% (86.2-94.7%) across all cancers. The MCED test detected 151 new primary and 22 recurrent cancers; additional cancers detected by screening were those with USPSTF A/B (n=31) and C (n=60) recommended screening. Of 151 MCED-detected new primaries, 80 (53.0%) were clinical stage I-II; 107 (70.9%) were stage I-III. Of 80 MCED-detected stage I-II cancers, 71.2% had no USPSTF A/B screening recommendation. Of 35,335 participants analyzable for safety, 213 (0.6%) had invasive procedure(s) to evaluate a positive MCED test result, of which 90% were nonsurgical and 1.8x more likely for participants with vs without cancer diagnosis. Most (87.6%) had a CSO-guided dx evaluation. There were 5 study-related adverse events during the time of dx workup; none were serious. Anxiety temporarily increased for participants with a positive MCED test and cancer diagnosed, and returned to baseline by 12m. Of participants with a positive MCED test, median time from test result to dx resolution was 48d (95% CI 43-56). Few participants (7/63 [11.1%]) had cancer found by dx PET/CT after a targeted dx workup that did not reveal cancer. Conclusion: The MCED test demonstrated robust performance with a favorable safety profile. When MCED testing was added to USPSTF A/B screening, 6.5x more cancers were detected by screening, most at early stages. The diverse, representative PF2 participant population supports the generalizability of these findings to the US intended-use population. Clinical trial information: NCT05155605 .

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 44, Issue 17_suppl
Published June 10, 2026
ISSN 0732-183X
Publisher Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Journal Info

Journal of Clinical Oncology

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

ISSN: 0732-183X Health Sciences

Authors (20)

K

Karthik Giridhar

Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, MN

C

Charles H. McDonnell

Sutter Institute for Medical Research, Sacramento, CA

D

Dax Kurbegov

HCA Healthcare Sarah Cannon Cancer Network, Nashville, TN

M

Marc Ryan Matrana

Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA

S

Shirish M. Gadgeel

Division of Hematology-Oncology, Henry Ford Cancer Institute, Henry Ford Health, Detroit

R

Raymond Kim

University Health Network, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada

G

Gretchen Stipec

Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Long Beach, CA

K

Kevin C. Oeffinger

DCI Center for Onco‐Primary Care Duke University Durham North Carolina USA

M

Michael J. Demeure

Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, and Translational Genomics Research Institute, Newport Beach, CA

J

James W. Lillard

R

Rebecca Davidson Kaltman

Saville Cancer Screening and Prevention Center, Inova Schar Cancer Institute, Fairfax, VA

J

Jennifer Tran

A

Alan Roth

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, Queens, NY

S

Sami Tahhan

Easter Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA

A

Andrew Stewart Poklepovic

VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Richmond, VA

D

Donald A. Richards

Texas Oncology, Tyler, TX

R

Rita Lopatin

GRAIL, Inc., Menlo Park, CA

C

Celine Marquez

GRAIL, Inc., Menlo Park, CA

M

Margaret Elizabeth McCusker

GRAIL, Inc., Menlo Park, CA

N

Nima Nabavizadeh

Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR