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Detecting Cancer Early: Can Blood Tests Like Galleri Identify Cancer Markers?

Pre-Symptom Detection

Most people think their yearly check-up will find serious health problems early. The truth is that only 14% of cancers are found through routine screenings—which means most cancers grow unnoticed until symptoms show up. By then, treatment options are fewer and outcomes are less certain.

However, your body gives subtle, but important information long before symptoms appear. Biomarkers—measurable indicators of biological processes or disease states in the body—can show cancer risk at its earliest stages. Checking these markers regularly can help you take action early, instead of waiting until it’s too late.

Limits of Routine Screenings

Most standard screenings only check for five common cancers: breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate. However, there are over 50 types of cancer. This means many cancers go undetected until later stages. At that point, treatment is more complex, and outcomes are less favorable. That’s why it’s vital to take testing further with advanced cancer screening.

Can Blood Tests Detect Cancer?

Not all blood tests are designed for cancer detection. However, advanced biomarker testing can identify early warning signs of cancer risk, allowing for timely intervention.

What Biomarkers Reveal About Cancer Risk

Cancer develops over time, often leaving measurable signals in the body. Advanced biomarkers testing helps monitor immune response and abnormal cellular activity—offering early insight into potential risks down the line.

Key Cancer-Related Biomarkers to Monitor

  • PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen): Elevated levels may indicate prostate cancer, but PSA alone is not diagnostic. Instead, PSA levels provide insight into prostate health, signaling when further evaluation is necessary.
  • Amylase & Lipase: These pancreatic enzymes can reveal digestive disorders, inflammatory conditions, and even pancreatic cancer.
  • TgAb (Thyroglobulin Antibodies): This test helps monitor thyroid function and detect thyroid-related autoimmune disorders, including Hashimoto’s disease, and may be useful in tracking certain thyroid cancers.
  • Monocytes & Neutrophils: Abnormal levels of these white blood cells can indicate infections, chronic disease, inflammatory disorders, or specific cancers such as leukemia.
  • WBC Count, Lymphocytes, Eosinophils, Basophils: These immune cells help detect blood cancers and immune system abnormalities that may indicate underlying malignancies.
  • Hemoglobin, Platelet Count, Hematocrit: These markers provide insight into red blood cell health, clotting function, and bone marrow activity, helping to identify anemia, clotting disorders, and certain cancers

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Advanced Cancer Screening Tools

The annual physical is not enough to gauge cancer risk. Advanced cancer screening is essential if you want to stay ahead of potential risks and catch it early—when you can proactively do something about it.

The Galleri Multi-Cancer Early Detection Test by GRAIL

There’s no singular way to avoid cancer, but you can take control and stay informed of your body’s health status by testing for cancer markers. One option is the Galleri Multi-Cancer Early Detection Test by GRAIL—This revolutionary blood test screens for 50+ types of cancer by detecting cancer signals in the blood. It represents a major advancement in early cancer detection—before symptoms may even present—that traditional screenings like mammograms or colonoscopies might miss.

Function members can now access the Galleri test anytime for an additional cost—test yearly and make it part of your annual health routine.

Multi-Cancer Early Detection Tests Can Change Outcomes

These tests can make all the difference: 

  • Can detect cancer up to 4 years earlier than conventional screenings.
  • Reduces late-stage diagnosis by up to 78%.
  • Leads to lower treatment costs and improved quality of life.

Catch Cancer Early

When diagnosed at the earliest stages (Stage 0 or 1), survival odds for breast cancer, thyroid cancer, melanoma, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, and cervical cancer rise dramatically—proof that early screenings truly matter.

Cancer Prevention Tips

Wondering how to avoid cancer? Genetics play a role, but when it comes to overall cancer risk, your daily habits should not be overlooked. Your everyday choices can play a powerful role in increasing or decreasing risk,so act wisely—here’s how:

Make Time to Exercise 

Just 3-4 minutes per day reduces cancer risk by improving circulation, regulating hormones, and strengthening immune function. Even small daily movements, such as brisk walking, or light resistance training, can have significant long-term health benefits.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Excess body weight and particularly fat around the abdomen, contributes to chronic inflammation and increased hormone levels, which are linked to 13 types of cancer.

Prioritize Whole, Unprocessed Foods

A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and healthy fats reduces oxidative stress, inflammation, and supports immune function. Cooking at home with fresh ingredients and limiting ultra-processed foods is worth it—they’ve been shown to reduce the risk of cancer. 

Don’t Smoke

Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of cancer. Quitting smoking improves cardiovascular health and lowers the risk of multiple cancers over time.

Cut Back on Alcohol

The more alcohol you consume, the more you increase the risk of cancer. Even one less drink per day significantly lowers the risk of head, neck, liver, breast, and cancers.

Use Sunscreen Daily

UV exposure is a significant risk factor for skin cancer, the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S. Proper sun protection with SPF 30+ not only prevents sunburn but also reduces long-term melanoma risk.

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Cancer doesn’t wait, and neither should you. With colorectal cancer on the rise in Americans under 50, breast cancer rates rising in women, and pancreatic cancer cases rising globally—there’s no better time than the present to take control. You’re never too young to prioritize your health. And by taking charge through advanced biomarker testing, yearly multi-cancer early detection testing, and strategic lifestyle choices, you can stay ahead of your health as it changes and increase your chances of catching cancer early.

Takeaway

Routine cancer screenings alone are not enough. A smarter, science-driven approach for preventing cancer and finding cancer early should combine blood testing for cancer biomarkers, advanced early detection testing (like the Galleri test), and proactive lifestyle changes to reduce risk and catch potential issues at their earliest, most treatable stage. The decisions you make today—from daily habits to investing in yearly testing—may determine whether cancer is caught early or remains undetected. 

Your health is in your hands. Make your choices count. Join Function, test annually, and monitor your lab results to stay informed about the health of your whole body.

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