PINEHURST — FirstHealth of the Carolinas, a nationally recognized health care system serving patients in 15 counties in the mid-Carolinas, has expanded the availability of Galleri, a multi-cancer early detection screening test to eligible patients through FirstHealth Concierge Medicine and select primary care clinics throughout the Sandhills region.
FirstHealth was the first health system in North Carolina to offer the Galleri MCED test to those at an elevated risk of cancer, including those aged 50 or older, as part of its concierge medicine program. Now, even more patients have access to the test through its offering at FirstHealth clinics in Moore, Richmond and Lee counties.
“As a leader in cancer detection and treatment, FirstHealth is proud to support those in our community with an elevated risk of cancer with access to early detection and comprehensive cancer care,” said Dan Barnes, D.O., president of FirstHealth Physician Group. “We are committed to providing patients with groundbreaking technologies like the Galleri MCED test close to home.”
In a clinical study, the Galleri test demonstrated the ability to detect a shared cancer signal across more than 50 types of cancer, as defined by the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Manual, over 45 of which lack recommended screening tests today, with a low false positive rate of less than 1%. When a cancer signal is detected, Galleri can determine the cancer signal origin with high accuracy, enabling clinicians to focus their diagnostic evaluation.
More than 609,000 people die from cancer each year in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. This is in large part because some of the deadliest cancers are found too late when outcomes are often poorer. Recommended screening tests save lives, but only cover five cancer types in the U.S.: breast, colon, cervical, prostate, and, in high-risk adults, lung. In fact, about 71% of cancer deaths are from cancers that lack recommended early detection screening.
Take the first step to determine if you are eligible to receive the Galleri MCED test by completing the online form at www.firsthealth.org/Galleri.
