Annual blood test could detect cancer in its earliest stages

An annual blood test could prevent around half of cancer cases from reaching an advanced stage, new research suggests.

- Jane Kirby, The Independent

Scientists are currently trying to determine the effectiveness of simple blood tests in detecting cancer before symptoms appear, and whether such early detection improves survival rates. The NHS is currently trialling such tests, including the Galleri test and miONCO-Dx test, with experts predicting a nationwide rollout of a universal cancer screening program within the next decade. Researchers writing in the journal BMJ Open say screening people annually — or every two years — could significantly boost early detection and prevent cancers from progressing to stages where treatment is less effective. The experts turned to mathematical modelling to see how a multi-cancer blood test would change what happened to a group of 50 to 79-year-olds. They used both fast-growing tumours (which remain at stage I for two to four years before progressing); and fast aggressive tumours (which remain at stage I for one to two years before advancing). Cancer types studied included bladder, breast, cervical, bowel, kidney, liver and bile-duct, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, skin and blood cancers such as leukaemia. The analysis found that universal cancer screening with a blood test improved early detection compared to usual care