A new multi-cancer blood tests trial will bring a pioneering approach to early cancer detection to around 200 GP surgeries across England, offering patients aged 45 and over a simple blood test designed to identify several types of hard-to-diagnose abdominal cancers.
Targeting Cancers That Often Go Unnoticed
The trial, funded by the government and led by the University of Birmingham, focuses on cancers of the liver, ovaries, pancreas, and other abdominal areas that frequently produce vague symptoms and are often discovered only after they have spread. More than 20,000 patients who report symptoms such as persistent bloating or pain will be eligible to take part.
The tests work by looking for proteins or fragments of DNA in the blood that may indicate the presence of cancer. If a signal is found, doctors may be able to determine where in the body a tumour is located. The results are intended to help GPs decide which patients need further investigation, rather than serving as a definitive diagnosis.
How the Trial Will Work
Participants will provide one or two tubes of blood at their GP practice, collected alongside routine tests. Scientists will then analyse the samples for cancer signals. The trial, known as STRIDE-RCT, will assess whether the tests are accurate enough for wider use across the NHS.
The study covers a range of cancers beyond the abdominal region, including bowel, small bowel, stomach, oesophageal, pancreatic, liver, bile duct, gallbladder, ovarian, endometrial, kidney, bladder, and prostate cancer. Around 71,000 people in England are diagnosed each year with pancreatic, stomach, liver, ovarian, or bowel cancer, and nearly 35,000 die from these diseases.
Caution Urged Over Test Results
A positive result does not automatically mean cancer is present, and a negative result is not a guaranteed all-clear. The trial will examine how well the tests perform in a real-world NHS setting. The concept of a multi-cancer blood test is not new: a separate NHS trial of a test called Galleri recently failed to meet its main goal of reducing late-stage cancer diagnoses, although researchers are still evaluating its potential benefits.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England’s national clinical director for cancer, said detecting abdominal cancer early is notoriously difficult because symptoms can easily be mistaken for less serious conditions. Earlier diagnosis, he noted, gives patients a much better chance of successful treatment and survival.
Support from Health Leaders
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said she hopes simple blood tests such as these will help identify patients who need urgent investigation much sooner. Michelle Mitchell of Cancer Research UK added that GPs have long needed better tools to navigate uncertainty by identifying which patients require further testing, and described the trial as an important step toward addressing that need.
