Guardant Reveal™ Cancer Test

Guardant Reveal is a liquid biopsy that looks for minimal residual disease, MRD: microscopic amounts of cancer left in the body after treatment that are far too small to see on a scan. It detects tumour DNA circulating in the blood using both genetic mutations and methylation patterns, and does not need a sample of your original tumour to do so. A positive result indicates that cancer is still present or has returned and that recurrence is likely; a negative result means no tumour DNA was detected. It is currently validated for colorectal, breast and lung cancers.

People who have been treated for early-stage (I to III) colorectal, breast or lung cancer and want to know whether any cancer remains. Two groups in particular: those who have recently had surgery and, with their oncologist, are weighing whether additional chemotherapy is worthwhile; and those in remission who want closer monitoring for recurrence than periodic scans provide. The first test is taken at least six weeks after surgery, and you should not be on active chemotherapy at the time of the draw. It is not for people with advanced disease, for whom Guardant360 is the relevant test, or for cancers other than the three listed.

After surgery, the question is whether the cancer has truly gone. Scans cannot answer it: they only show tumours above a few millimetres. MRD testing can. In colorectal cancer, a positive Reveal result after surgery is strongly associated with recurrence, and a negative result with remaining disease-free, which helps oncologists decide who benefits from chemotherapy and who may be spared it. During follow-up, tumour DNA typically becomes detectable months before a recurrence is visible on imaging, giving earlier warning and more treatment options.

That no tumour DNA was detected in your blood at that time. In the validation studies most people with a negative result remained recurrence-free, but a negative result does not completely rule out residual cancer: a very small amount of disease may not shed detectable DNA. That is why monitoring is repeated over time rather than done once, and why you should continue your routine follow-up scans and appointments. Our oncologist will explain what the result means for your particular situation.

That tumour DNA was found, which indicates residual or recurrent cancer and a higher risk of clinical recurrence. It does not tell you where the cancer is or how much there is; imaging and your treating team's assessment do that. A positive result is a reason to act early, whether that is additional treatment, closer imaging or a change of plan, and our oncologist prepares a summary for your own team to support that discussion.

It depends on where you are in your treatment. After surgery, up to three draws are typically taken over the following months, starting at six weeks, to establish whether MRD is present and whether it clears with any further treatment. For ongoing surveillance in remission, up to four draws a year are used, often timed around scan intervals. Your consultant oncologist should set a schedule that fits your situation and your treatment plan.

Not routinely. MRD testing is being evaluated in NHS trials, particularly in colorectal cancer, and some patients access it that way, but it is not part of standard follow-up. Privately, it is available through Goodbody Clinic across the UK following a consultation with our consultant oncologist.

From £4,320 per test with your own blood collection, £4,349 at a Goodbody clinic or £4,380 with a nurse home visit. The required consultation with our consultant oncologist is £149 and is refunded if you proceed. The price includes laboratory analysis, the clinical report and a results consultation. Because monitoring involves repeat tests, the oncologist will discuss a sensible schedule and cost with you before you commit.

Because the value of an MRD result depends entirely on timing and context: how long since surgery, what treatment you have had, what your own team is considering. Our consultant oncologist confirms that Reveal is the right test for your cancer type and stage, sets the timing, and makes sure the result will feed into a decision. The consultation is a 30-minute telephone call and does not replace your own oncologist, whose care continues throughout.

No. Unlike some MRD tests that must be personalised from tumour tissue, Guardant Reveal is tumour-agnostic: it detects tumour DNA from the blood alone using genomic and methylation signals. That means it can be started without retrieving archived tissue and reports within two to three weeks.

Two to three weeks from your sample reaching the laboratory. Your results consultation with our oncologist is booked as soon as the report arrives, and a summary letter is provided for your treating team.

At any of 250+ Goodbody clinics across the UK, by a nurse at home, or by a professional you arrange using the kit we send you. No fasting is needed. Find your nearest clinic.