Urine test can spot more than nine in 10 bladder cancers

A urine test being trialled by the NHS can detect over 90% of bladder cancer cases, according to recent research. Conducted by the University of Birmingham and diagnostics company Nonacus, the study analyzed data from nearly 1,000 patients across seven hospitals in England and Scotland. The Galeas urine test, originally developed by the University of Birmingham with support from Cancer Research UK, identifies genetic material shed by bladder cancer in urine samples.

With a 92% detection rate, a negative result indicates a more than 99% likelihood of no bladder cancer. This test could potentially reduce the need for more invasive cystoscopies, which involve inserting a camera into the bladder. Currently, over 300,000 cystoscopies are performed annually in the UK, with long waiting lists in some regions.

While the urine test complements cystoscopies, it does not replace them. Dr. Richard Bryan, co-author of the study, expressed excitement over the promising early results in a real-world patient population. Michelle Mitchell from Cancer Research UK emphasized the urgency of finding faster and less invasive diagnostic methods, as bladder cancer is more common in men over 60 and can be deadly if not detected and treated early.