New blood tests to aid early cancer detection for thousands of NHS patients
Over 20,000 individuals visiting 200 GP surgeries across England will be offered advanced blood tests designed to detect cancer at its earliest stages. The STRIDE-RCT trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of these tests in a real-world setting.
The tests are intended to identify signals in the blood that may indicate the need for further cancer investigation, or conversely, to confidently rule out the disease, potentially reducing unnecessary hospital referrals for invasive procedures.
Four companies are participating in the initial phase of the trial: Proteotype (Enlighten test), Pinpoint AI (PinPoint test), Natera (Signatera test), and Mercy BioAnalytics (Halo test). Additional tests may be incorporated later.
The Enlighten test utilizes artificial intelligence to analyze patterns of amino acid biomarkers, assisting in the detection of breast, bowel, lung, or prostate cancer. Pinpoint AI’s test combines weak cancer signals to generate a comprehensive result, addressing the increasing number of referrals for cancer scans, with only 7% ultimately receiving a cancer diagnosis. This test analyzes 32 biomarkers to assess cancer risk, potentially identifying signs of various cancers including bowel, ovarian, lung, pancreatic, liver, bile duct, and stomach cancer. Results are categorized using a red, amber, green system to guide next steps.
The Signatera test, already employed for detecting cancer recurrence, focuses on circulating tumor DNA. The Halo test analyzes extracellular vesicles, which are elevated in early-stage cancer.
The trial will focus on individuals aged 45 and over experiencing abdominal symptoms, such as bloating or discomfort. Health Minister James Frith highlighted the challenge of diagnosing abdominal cancers due to symptoms often being misinterpreted. “A way to accurately triage suspected cancer patients right at the start of the pathway could be transformational to patient outcomes and capacity management in NHS services,” he stated.
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized the importance of early diagnosis for successful treatment and saving lives, aligning with the National Cancer Plan. Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, believes this trial marks a revolution in cancer diagnosis. Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, welcomed the trial as a crucial step towards providing GPs with better diagnostic tools.
It is anticipated that it will take 18 to 24 months to determine the suitability of these tests for wider adoption across the NHS.
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“Thousands of NHS patients to get new blood tests for earlier cancer diagnosis”
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