NHS AI Trial Aims for Earlier Cancer Spotting

Karmactive Staff

British scientists have created an AI-powered blood test that can spot 12 deadly cancers before symptoms even appear.

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The miONCO-Dx test examines microRNA in blood samples, detecting cancer with over 99% accuracy in initial trials on 20,000 patients.

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NHS will now test this cancer-detecting technology on 8,000 patients in a crucial trial backed by £2.4 million in government funding.

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Early detection could save countless lives, as survival rates drop dramatically when cancer is found in later stages.

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For bowel cancer patients, early detection means a 90% survival rate versus just 10% when found at stage 4.

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The simple blood sample eliminates the need for uncomfortable colonoscopies and biopsies that many patients currently endure.

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Health Secretary Wes Streeting, a cancer survivor himself, sees this as a key part of the government's strategy to improve NHS cancer care.

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The technology was developed on British soil by Xgenera and the University of Southampton as a fast, affordable screening solution.

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This announcement coincides with the opening of the Bowelbabe Laboratory, named after campaigner Dame Deborah James who died from bowel cancer.

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If trials succeed, this "cheap, fast and scalable" test could transform how the NHS detects cancer, potentially saving both lives and resources.

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