Urine test can spot more than nine in 10 bladder cancers

A urine test, trialled by the NHS, can detect more than 90% of bladder cancer cases, according to new research published in European Urology Oncology. The study, led by the University of Birmingham and diagnostics company Nonacus, involved nearly 1,000 patients from seven hospitals across England and Scotland. Researchers hope this non-invasive test could reduce the number of patients needing urgent cystoscopies, a procedure involving a camera inserted into the bladder to examine the lining.

This trial suggests the test could spare tens of thousands of patients each year from these invasive procedures. While not a replacement for cystoscopies, it could aid doctors in identifying patients at higher risk and prioritising them for rapid cystoscopies. The Galeas urine test, developed by the University of Birmingham with funding from Cancer Research UK, detects genetic material shed by bladder cancer into urine.

It looks for over 450 DNA mutations across 23 genes linked to bladder cancer. Professor Richard Bryan, a co-author and researcher from Birmingham University, expressed excitement over the test's promising performance in real-world conditions. Nonacus, the commercializer of the test, pays back part of the revenue to the University and CRUK under a licensing agreement.

Michelle Mitchell, from CRUK, emphasized the urgency of improving bladder cancer diagnosis, noting the test could lead to faster and less invasive diagnostic methods. Bladder cancer, more common in men over 60, is characterized by blood in urine and can range in severity from localized to metastatic, with early detection crucial for improved outcomes.