Integrating the Galleri Test into Women’s Health: A Holistic Approach to Cancer Prevention
Author: Dr. Kolin Durrant, Integrative Care Director, Doctor of Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine
Women’s health has long emphasized early detection, routine screening, and lifestyle care. Yet the modern woman faces a complex landscape. Hormonal fluctuations, chronic stress, and environmental exposures are just a few of the factors that continuously shape and challenge the female body.
At Saffron & Sage, we believe proactive care begins with awareness, both intuitive and scientific. This is why we now offer the Galleri Test, a multi cancer early detection blood test that can identify more than 50 types of cancer through a single blood draw.
By integrating this breakthrough technology into holistic healthcare, we are redefining prevention. Our model blends advanced diagnostics with personalized therapies, empowering women to take meaningful steps toward long term vitality.
Understanding the Galleri Test
Developed by GRAIL, the Galleri Test represents a significant advancement in early cancer detection. While traditional screenings often focus on a single organ such as mammograms for breast tissue or Pap smears for the cervix, the Galleri Test evaluates cell free DNA in the bloodstream to detect cancer signals from across the body.
When cells die, they release small fragments of DNA into the bloodstream. Cancer cells release DNA with distinct methylation patterns, which can be detected and analyzed through advanced genomic sequencing and machine learning. This allows the Galleri Test not only to identify a potential cancer signal but to predict the likely tissue of origin with remarkable accuracy (GRAIL Galleri Test Clinical Validation Study).
Validation studies show a specificity rate of 99.5 percent, meaning false positives are rare. The test has demonstrated the ability to detect more than fifty types of cancer, including many that currently lack recommended screening methods such as ovarian, pancreatic, and liver cancers.
For women, this broad approach is essential. Many of the cancers most likely to affect women are either difficult to detect or often missed until later stages of progression.
Why Broader Screening Matters for Women
Mammograms, Pap smears, and colonoscopies remain essential tools, but they only cover a fraction of the cancers women face. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 900,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer in 2025. Nearly half of those diagnoses will involve cancers with no standard screening test (American Cancer Society, 2025 Cancer Facts & Figures).
Ovarian, uterine, and pancreatic cancers are frequently diagnosed late, often because symptoms are vague or nonexistent in early stages. In many cases, early detection is the key to survival.
This is precisely where the Galleri Test fills a critical gap. It allows for the possibility of early intervention before symptoms arise and long before conventional imaging might detect disease.
Integrating the Galleri Test into a Holistic Care Plan
Our model of care is grounded in connection between diagnostic data and intuitive knowing, between physical symptoms and energetic imbalance, and between clinical results and day to day wellbeing.
When a woman completes the Galleri Test through our clinic, it becomes part of a larger prevention strategy that includes:
Personalized Health Assessment: Reviewing family history, lifestyle patterns, and prior screenings
Functional and Naturopathic Guidance: Addressing nutrition, hormonal rhythm, and environmental influences
Therapeutic Support: Incorporating acupuncture, breathwork, and body therapies to reduce stress and restore balance
Continuous Monitoring: Using Galleri results in conjunction with other biomarkers to guide evolving care plans
The Galleri Test is not treated as an endpoint. Rather, it is a diagnostic starting point, a map that informs a deeper and more intentional prevention path.
Hormonal Health and Cancer Risk
Hormones govern much of a woman’s physiology, from metabolism and mood to immune function and tissue repair. Chronic hormonal dysregulation can increase inflammation, disrupt cellular communication, and elevate cancer risk over time.
At Saffron & Sage, we monitor hormone levels such as estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol while offering therapies to bring them into harmony. When interpreted alongside Galleri Test results, these data points provide a comprehensive view of both risk and resilience.
This intersection of hormonal balance and genetic insight supports a more proactive approach that seeks not only to detect but to understand why imbalances may be present.
The Impact of Stress on Women’s Health
Today’s women often shoulder multiple roles, navigating professional, familial, and caregiving responsibilities. Research from the National Institutes of Health has shown a strong connection between chronic stress and cancer risk, including immune suppression and accelerated tumor growth (National Institutes of Health – Chronic Stress and Cancer Risk).
The Galleri Test helps shift women from fear based health management to data driven, empowered decision making. When combined with mind body therapies such as meditation, yoga, and breathwork, it becomes a tool for both emotional and physiological balance.
At Saffron & Sage, we interpret every result through a whole person lens, ensuring emotional support is always part of the care plan.
Functional Nutrition and the Galleri Connection
Nutrition remains one of the most powerful forms of preventive medicine. A diet that emphasizes phytonutrients, antioxidants, and fiber promotes detoxification and immune vigilance.
Following Galleri Test results, our practitioners often recommend personalized dietary strategies. For example, if oxidative stress appears to be elevated, an anti inflammatory protocol may be introduced. If hormone metabolism requires support, cruciferous vegetables, turmeric, and functional foods may be emphasized.
This synergy between functional nutrition and molecular diagnostics exemplifies the depth and integration of care at Saffron & Sage.
Accessible, Preventive, and Empowering Care for Women in San Diego
San Diego is home to a growing population of women who are prioritizing prevention and integrative medicine. By offering the Galleri Test in a setting that values compassion, education, and whole body support, we are making advanced screening both accessible and transformative.
Our practitioners guide women through every step, from preparation and testing to interpretation and next steps, ensuring clarity, confidence, and continuity of care.
Addressing Common Questions
Is the Galleri Test diagnostic?
No. It is not a diagnostic tool. It identifies signals that may indicate the presence of cancer and provides information about the likely tissue of origin. Further imaging or testing may be recommended if a signal is detected.Does the test replace traditional screenings?
No. Standard screenings such as mammograms, Pap tests, and colonoscopies are still necessary. The Galleri Test complements these by identifying cancers not typically covered by conventional protocols.Who should consider the test?
Women over forty and those with a family history of cancer are ideal candidates. However, it can also be valuable for younger women seeking deeper insight into their health profile.Is it safe?
Yes. It is performed through a simple blood draw and can be completed during a routine visit.
Knowledge as a Pathway to Peace
Uncertainty about what is happening inside the body can create chronic stress and fear. For many women, the Galleri Test offers clarity and reassurance. It is a way to move from anxiety to action, from unknowns to empowerment.
When paired with healing practices such as energy work, breathwork, or counseling, the Galleri Test becomes more than a screening. It becomes an invitation to deepen awareness and take an active role in one’s health.
Redefining the Future of Prevention
The future of women’s health lies at the intersection of precision diagnostics and holistic wisdom. The Galleri Test exemplifies this evolution. It brings modern science into the realm of whole person care, creating new possibilities for early detection and long term vitality.
At Saffron & Sage, we are proud to lead this shift, offering women a model of care that is informed, compassionate, and deeply personal.
A Meaningful Step Forward
Integrating the Galleri Test into your wellness journey is more than a preventive act. It is a statement of self respect, self inquiry, and proactive living.
We believe every woman deserves access to this level of insight and care. By combining early detection with holistic support, we help our members not only extend their lifespan but enrich their healthspan.
Take the Next Step in Your Preventive Journey
If you’re ready to explore how the Galleri Test can fit into your holistic care plan, our team at Saffron & Sage is here to guide you. From initial consultation to personalized prevention, we’ll help you navigate your results and design a comprehensive plan that supports your long-term wellbeing.
Contact Saffron & Sage today at 619-933-2340 to schedule your consultation or learn more about integrating the Galleri Test into your women’s health journey.