New blood tests could detect 14 cancers earlier

More than 20,000 patients will take part in a major NHS study examining whether blood tests can improve cancer diagnosis and survivalMore than 20,000 patients will take part in a major study to determine whether simple blood tests can help doctors detect cancer earlier and improve survival rates. A major clinical trial in England will investigate whether blood tests capable of detecting multiple types of cancer can help family doctors identify the disease earlier, potentially improving patients’ chances of survival. The trial, involving more than 20,000 patients at at least 200 National Health Service (NHS) GP practices, will assess several tests developed by the University of Birmingham and its partners. The tests are designed to detect signs of cancer from a single blood sample and indicate where in the body the disease may have originated, potentially helping doctors identify patients who require urgent investigation and treatment. Researchers say the study will be the first of its kind to establish whether using such tests in routine general practice can lead to earlier cancer diagnoses and better outcomes for patients. Targeting cancers often diagnosed too late The trial will cover 14 types of cancer, including prostate, ovarian, bowel, pancreatic, stomach and liver cancer, several of which are frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage, when treatment can be more difficult. Patients aged 45 and over who visit their GP with abdominal symptoms, such as persistent bloating or discomfort, will be eligible to participate. Such symptoms can have many causes, making it difficult for doctors to determine which patients require urgent investigation for cancer. The new blood tests could provide GPs with additional information to support their clinical judgement and help prioritise patients for further examinations. The study comes amid concerns about cancer outcomes in Britain, where mortality rates are among the highest in OECD countries on a per capita basis. AI technology to support diagnosis The tests will use a range of technologies, including artificial intelligence and the measurement of proteins circulating in the blood, to identify biological signals associated with cancer. Researchers will assess how accurately the tests detect different cancers and whether their use in general practice leads to earlier diagnoses and improved survival. The study will also examine their potential to support doctors’ decisions about which patients should be referred for further investigation. Although blood tests capable of identifying signs of multiple cancers have attracted growing interest, their effectiveness in routine clinical practice must be established before they can be widely adopted. The findings will help determine whether the technology should be introduced more broadly across the NHS. If successful, the approach could offer family doctors an additional tool for identifying cancers that might otherwise remain undetected until symptoms become more severe.