UK scientists develop simple blood test to diagnose cancer

Thanks to a simple blood test developed by UK scientists, patients could be spared the anguish of weeks of waiting to find out if they had cancer.

The test, which could accurately diagnose cancer within 24 hours, was yesterday hailed as a potential "game-changer."

The research could spell the end to the painful biopsies necessary to confirm a diagnosis.

The test creators hoped general practitioners would give patients an early warning, with the test, that they had the disease.

They also say it could also save lives as family doctors would be more willing to carry out a cheap and simple test than have to refer patients to specialists.

Most cancers can be treated successfully if they were diagnosed early, but survival rates decreased rapidly the later diagnosis.

Study leader Eric Lim of the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, said, "We hope this study will be a real game-changer that could ultimately lead to many more lives being saved through earlier diagnosis and treatment for all types of cancer.

"A simple, inexpensive blood test available to GPs who suspect a patient may have cancer would result in significant savings to the NHS and could dramatically improve outcomes for patients."

Biopsy had so far been the most reliable way to establish the presence of cancerous cells, but it was an invasive, costly and at times, a risky procedure. It also took time, which cancer patients could not afford to lose.

With the groundbreaking blood test, pressure on patients would be alleviated by offering a quick, nonintrusive alternative, which would cost hundreds rather than thousands of dollars per patient.

According to Lim, patients would have the results "within days."

Biopsies cost a lot and according to a study presented in 2014 at the Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology, a biopsy costs on average $14,634 per patient.

A random survey of 8,979 Medicare patients aged 65-74, between July 2009 and December 2010, showed 43.1 per cent had negative biopsies, costing $16.5 million.

Additionally around 20 per cent of patients undergoing lung biopsy suffered complications.

Furthermore, since biopsy was a specialist procedure, often carried out during a computed tomography (CT) scan or an operation, there could be long waiting times, putting patients' lives further at risk.

All that could change with a simple blood test.

The death of cells including cancer cells releases DNA into the bloodstream.

The new blood test can detect three common cancer-specific gene mutations in the blood.

Certain gene patterns were specific to cancer but varied according to cancer types.

Since lung and colorectal cancer had similar gene patterns, the researchers expected similar tests to be useful for both types.

Scientists in the US have created a tiny implant, which, in mice for now, captured cancer cells spreading through the body. (See: Scientists create implant to capture cancer cells spreading in the body).