UK Set to Launch Revolutionary Blood Test for Early Cancer Detection

In a potentially life-saving development, the United Kingdom is planning to introduce a universal blood test capable of detecting the 12 most common cancers, even before symptoms arise. Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who is a cancer survivor, announced the initiative, emphasizing the transformative impact it could have on cancer treatment and patient outcomes.

The proposed blood test, which works similarly to a PCR test used during the COVID-19 pandemic, will be able to screen for cancers such as lung, breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancer with just a few drops of blood. It is expected to roll out within the next five years and could save thousands of lives each year by detecting cancers at an early, more treatable stage.

Streeting expressed his optimism in an interview, stating, “These innovations could be game changers.” The test will cost £120 per patient and will be available through a government-funded program, with £2.5 million allocated to its development by the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

The scheme is supported by Xgenera, a startup created by scientists to assist in the rollout, and is expected to revolutionize cancer diagnostics, particularly after the pandemic left nearly 40,000 cancers undiagnosed in its first year.