New blood test can diagnose cancer in 30 minutes and tell if it spreading
SCIENTISTS have devised a blood screening test that can diagnose cancer in 30 minutes and tell if it is spreading.
Oxford University experts say the technique is 95 per cent accurate and picks up tumours earlier — boosting survival chances.
It uses AI to scan blood for unusual combinations of molecules, such as sugars and acids, that can be released by tumours.
In trials on 300 NHS patients, it almost always spotted cancer and experts say evidence is strong it can identify all types.
Creator Dr James Larkin said: “It’s very exciting that this technology is showing promise with cancer.
"The idea is to use it for people with non-specific symptoms like fatigue, weight loss or if you’ve got pain and you and your GP don’t know what it is.
“We need a clear way of saying, ‘This could be cancer’ because some types are harder to spot.
"Our vision is to be able to detect something before the patient even knows it’s a problem.”
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The tests may be ready for public use in two years.
The team hope a single tube of blood taken by a GP could be enough to detect or rule out any type of cancer.
And it is the first of its kind to be able to tell if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, with 94 per cent accuracy in the study.
It could be turned around faster than the standard CT scans, X-rays and blood tests that happen after a hospital referral.
Dr Larkin said it has already been tested on brain, lung, bowel, pancreatic, liver, breast and bladder cancers – but there is strong evidence it can spot any type.
The Oxford team, who published the results in the journal Clinical Cancer Research, are now getting funding for bigger trials.
Dr Larkin added: “This could transform how cancer is diagnosed and I would love to see it rolled out.
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“It’s just a standard blood sample that the NHS can already do and, if we were speed-running the test, we could go from needle in the arm to results in 30 minutes.
“Some patients now get sent away to watch and wait if their GP doesn’t think they have cancer – but if they do, the cancer is getting worse while they wait. We want to stop that.”