Cancer detection blood test set for NHS trials on twelve different types of cancer
Fresh Take:
A revolutionary blood test,). the miONCO-Dx, driven by AI, is about to hit NHS patients in a trial. This game-changing test scans for microscopic genetic particles dropped by tumors in as little as 10 drops of blood.
The upcoming test, which analyzes 8,000 patients, boasts a jaw-dropping 99% accuracy rate in detecting cancer and identifying its exact location. This means diagnoses can be made at an early, manageable stage for 12 common cancers, like lung, breast, prostate, and pancreatic, along with less common ones such as brain, oesophageal, bladder, liver, gastric, ovarian, bowel, pancreatic, and bone & soft tissue sarcomas.
The life-saving test, developed by the University of Southampton and biotech startup Xgenera, has already shown promising results on 20,000 patients. The UK government has invested £2.4m to support the trial.
The proud announcement comes on the heels of renaming a lab in honor of bowel cancer advocate Dame Deborah James, who passed away at 40 from the disease three years ago. The Bowelbabe lab, backed by Cancer Research UK, brings together scientists to zero in on bowel cancer, the second-highest cause of cancer deaths in the UK.
Excited about the impact this research will have, Dame Deborah's mom, Heather, said, "Deborah was a science geek at heart, and she'd be overjoyed to see the positive changes her fundraising has fostered. This will undoubtedly save countless lives."
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****Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director, remarked: “This blood test could revolutionize early bowel cancer detection, making it less invasive and potentially saving countless lives. The upcoming trial will provide crucial evidence on its effectiveness.”
Having 44,000 new bowel cancer cases in the UK each year, with 17,000 deaths, illustrates the urgency of developing more effective screening methods. Early detection is key, as approximately 90% of patients survive if found early. However, this drops to a dismal 10% if the diagnosis is made at a later stage.
Sources:1. [Website URL with Southern Daily Echo article]2. [Website URL with The Guardian article]3. [Website URL with BBC News article]4. [Website URL with Southampton University article]5. [Website URL with Xgenera website article]
- The innovative blood test, miONCO-Dx, could potentially transform early detection of various medical-conditions, including cancer, by scanning for microscopic genetic particles dropped by tumors in as little as 10 drops of blood, thereby aiding in the early and accurate diagnosis of 12 common cancers and less common ones.
- In the midst of ongoing research on effective screening methods for medical-conditions like cancer, the development of this ground-breaking blood test, driven by AI and with a 99% accuracy rate, should significantly improve health-and-wellness outcomes for patients, particularly in the case of bowel cancer which claims thousands of lives annually.
