'Multi-cancer' blood tests coming to some GP surgeries soon
The aim is to detect hard-to-diagnose abdominal cancers, including liver, ovarian and pancreatic cancer, much sooner.
The NHS is set to begin a trial of multi-cancer blood tests in some 200 GP surgeries across England, aiming to improve early detection of hard-to-diagnose abdominal cancers such as liver, ovarian, and pancreatic cancer. These tests look for proteins or fragments of DNA in the blood that may indicate the presence of cancer, potentially helping doctors decide which patients with vague symptoms need further investigations.
The trial, led by the University of Birmingham, will assess the accuracy of the tests for wider NHS use and is expected to benefit over 20,000 patients aged 45 and over with relevant symptoms. While a previous NHS trial of a similar test, Galleri, did not meet its goal of reducing late-stage cancer diagnoses, the STRIDE-RCT trial focuses on detecting a broader range of cancers.
Early detection is crucial for improving treatment outcomes and survival rates, with around 71,000 people diagnosed annually with these cancers in England, and nearly 35,000 deaths each year.
Brief written by urgent.news from BBC Health's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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