I am mid-70’s and had galleri blood test in late dec 2024. In feb 2023, I advised GI doctor administering colonoscopy that I was concerned about numerous strange “fuzzy” pencil thin bowel movements daily with a strange orange hue. GI doctor diagnosed hemorrhoids and benign polyps and pushed my next colonoscopy out 5 years. I was stilled concerned that bowel movements were not normal. I have since learned that strange recurring bowel movements are the primary symptom for colon, esophageal rectal and anal cancers which frequently go undiagnosed until later stages (especially in young people).

I gave myself Xmas gifts of full body MRI and galleri blood test in late 2024. MRI didn’t reveal any cancer. In late January 2025 galleri medical affiliates informed me that my blood was positive for anal squamous cell cancer (ascc) and hpv16 and forwarded info to my health plan doctor. Galleri diagnosis means cancer cells are sluffed into bloodstream so it may not accurately diagnose very early cancer stages. Nearly everyone is exposed to many types of HPV in their lifetime. Most people’s immune system clears virus…Mine did not clear virus. Surprisingly, anal cancer is rare but becoming more common, especially in senior women. HPV can also cause extremely painful head, neck, throat and tonsil cancers. Thankfully HPV vaccine is now available for younger people.

My health plan started biopsies, ct scans, mri’s, pet scan and biopsies in march 2025 that confirmed galleri blood test diagnosis. Unfortunately cancer progressed to regional lymph nodes (likely between feb 2023 and early 2025). I started radiation (30 rounds over 6 weeks) and 2 rounds of 5fu chemo that were completed 6/10/25. Treatment is not fun, but I will be forever grateful for galleri diagnosis while cancer is still curable.

Two year delay in diagnosis allowed local cancer to grow/spread into lymph nodes and reduced odds of full recovery with NED (no evidence of disease). Lymph node spread appears to increase risk of developing other cancers. I will get a PET Scan soon followed by periodic ct scans through my Medicare advantage health plan. I also plan to self pay for periodic galleri tests, just in case.

Regardless of my longer term outcome, I am a galleri blood test success story.