Sophia Bush, known for her roles in “One Tree Hill” and “John Tucker Must Die,” recently celebrated her 42nd birthday by gifting herself the Galleri blood test. This innovative cancer screening tool is gaining traction in Hollywood and health care circles, and promises to revolutionize early cancer detection.
“Instead of planning a trip or a special adventure out in the world, I decided to gift myself a journey inward,” Bush shared in an Instagram post.
The Galleri test, developed by health care company Grail, screens for more than 50 types of cancer through a single blood draw, according to the company’s website. Unlike traditional cancer screenings that focus on specific organs, this test searches for cell-free DNA shed by cancer cells into the bloodstream. If a cancer signal is detected, Galleri predicts the tissue type or organ associated with the signal with 88% accuracy, guiding follow-up diagnostic testing.
Bush said her decision was influenced by personal health challenges and her friends’ experiences with cancer. “Being sobered by my own brush with illness, and then seeing my best friend from high school lose her little sister to colon cancer at 37, and a friend from work go through a double mastectomy at 42, I knew I wanted to know everything about my own body,” she explained.
The Galleri test is particularly noteworthy for detecting rare and aggressive cancers often missed by standard screenings. The Cleveland Clinic reported it’s especially effective at identifying 12 cancers, including pancreatic, ovarian and liver cancers, that account for about two-thirds of all cancer deaths in the United States. For this dozen, Galleri can detect about 40% of stage 1 cancers and up to 95% of stage 4s.
Because it cannot detect all cancers, the Galleri test is recommended as a complement to existing screening methods. It’s advised for adults 50 or older or those with a family history of cancer. The test is not yet FDA-approved and can cost up to $949, limiting accessibility for many.
“Would love to see this more accessible for everyone but I applaud you for using your platform to continue to raise awareness for women to put their health first. So happy you found care that works for you and I hope the same for all us 🙏🏼🤍,” an Instagram user commented on Bush’s post.
