Multi-cancer blood tests to be trialled at 200 GP surgeries in England

More than 20,000 people aged 45 and over with symptoms such as persistent bloating or pain are expected to be offered blood tests for signs of multiple cancers at about 200 GP surgeries in England, in a government-funded trial designed to assess whether the tests can help identify hard-to-diagnose cancers earlier.

Led by the University of Birmingham, the STRIDE-RCT trial will study cancers including those of the pancreas, liver, stomach, ovaries and bowel. Patients will give one or two blood samples alongside routine tests. Researchers will look for proteins or fragments of DNA that may indicate cancer and could help doctors decide who needs further investigation.

The trial is assessing whether the tests are accurate enough for wider use. A positive result would not confirm cancer, and a negative result would not guarantee that someone is cancer-free.

The tests are intended to help with cancers that can be difficult to detect because their symptoms may be vague or mistaken for less serious conditions. NHS England cancer director Professor Peter Johnson said earlier diagnosis gave patients a much better chance of successful treatment and survival.

The approach is not new, and a separate NHS trial of the Galleri multi-cancer test recently failed to meet its main goal of reducing late-stage cancer diagnoses. Researchers are still assessing its potential benefits.

Michelle Mitchell of Cancer Research UK said GPs needed better tools to identify which patients require further testing, describing the new trial as an important step towards addressing that need.