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23/03/2012
Blood Test Could Give Early Detection Of Lung Cancer
A new simple blood test that could detect lung cancer at an early stage is set to be trialled in the UK.
Developed in the UK and already piloted in the US, it is hoped the test will drastically cut death rates, reduce medical bills and lead to an overhaul in the way cancer is diagnosed and treated.
The first trial will involve 10,000 patients, mainly smokers, identified as having a higher risk of developing the disease. If successful, the £200-per-person procedure could be rolled out across the rest of the country.
Sir Harry Burns, Scotland's chief medical officer, said: "The earlier a cancer is diagnosed the greater the chance it can be treated successfully, and currently 85% of patients with lung cancer remain undiagnosed until the disease has reached an advanced stage."
Known as EarlyCDT-Lung, the test tracks increases in blood antibody levels that could signal the onset of cancer. Patients with raised levels will be referred for a CT scan – the x-ray-style imaging currently used to detect the disease.
Burns said the test would lead to greatly increased cancer survival rates. "By testing those at greatest risk of developing lung cancer and diagnosing it at its earliest possible stage, we stand a better chance of being able to treat it successfully," he said.
Currently claiming about 35,000 lives a year, early diagnosis of lung cancer is rarely made at a stage that would allow effective treatment.
About 93% of patients die within five years of the onset of symptoms.
(H)
Developed in the UK and already piloted in the US, it is hoped the test will drastically cut death rates, reduce medical bills and lead to an overhaul in the way cancer is diagnosed and treated.
The first trial will involve 10,000 patients, mainly smokers, identified as having a higher risk of developing the disease. If successful, the £200-per-person procedure could be rolled out across the rest of the country.
Sir Harry Burns, Scotland's chief medical officer, said: "The earlier a cancer is diagnosed the greater the chance it can be treated successfully, and currently 85% of patients with lung cancer remain undiagnosed until the disease has reached an advanced stage."
Known as EarlyCDT-Lung, the test tracks increases in blood antibody levels that could signal the onset of cancer. Patients with raised levels will be referred for a CT scan – the x-ray-style imaging currently used to detect the disease.
Burns said the test would lead to greatly increased cancer survival rates. "By testing those at greatest risk of developing lung cancer and diagnosing it at its earliest possible stage, we stand a better chance of being able to treat it successfully," he said.
Currently claiming about 35,000 lives a year, early diagnosis of lung cancer is rarely made at a stage that would allow effective treatment.
About 93% of patients die within five years of the onset of symptoms.
(H)
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