People suffering from heartburn to be offered life-saving cancer check in pharmacies

Daily Mail​

09-07-2025

Heartburn sufferers will be offered a 'sponge on a string' test on the high-street for the first time in a bid to catch the earliest potential signs of a deadly cancer.
Patients with persistent heartburn or acid reflux will be eligible to take the test—where they swallow a special pill containing a sponge—in a bid to spot a condition which dramatically increases the risk of developing oesophageal cancer.
Oesophageal cancer—which forms in the food pipe—is often caught too late with four out of five patients dying within a year.
Now, a new NHS England initiative aims to catch patients with a condition Barrett's oesophagus in a bid to prevent cancer cases from occurring.
The pilot—which starts next year—will see 1,500 patients in London and the East Midlands offered a 'heartburn health check' at their high street pharmacy.
Pharmacists will specifically look for patients who regularly purchase over-the-counter drugs to ease their heartburn but who may not have seen their GP about it.
They will then be offered the sponge on a string test. This sees a patient swallow a small capsule, containing a tiny sponge, attached to a thin string.
The capsule then dissolves in the stomach and the sponge within expands to the size of 1p coin.
After a few minutes the sponge is pulled up via the string.
During this process it collects cells from the food pipe which can then be sent to a lab and tested for Barrett's oesophagus.
Barrett's oesophagus occurs when stomach acid rising up into the food pipe—which causes heartburn—damages the tissue inside.
In some cases, the damaged tissue may have abnormal changes, which may one day become cancer.
Studies have found people with Barrett's oesophagus have an 11-times greater risk of developing oesophageal cancer.
While the sponge on a string test has been offered in hospitals and other clinical settings for years, this is the first time it will be offered in a high-street setting.
The NHS says if the two-year pilot is successful the initiative could be rolled out to more parts of the country.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national cancer director, said: 'For the majority of people with persistent reflux, these quick and easy heartburn health checks will provide peace of mind that you aren't at increased risk of cancer.'
'For those who do find out they have Barrett's oesophagus, regular follow-up checks will be put in place so any further cell changes can be spotted early.'
If worrying sings are detected patients can have treatments to have the cells removed.
Almost 10,000 patients are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in the UK each year, with four in five diagnosed at a later, harder to treat, stage.
The cancer kills almost 8,000 Britons each year, the vast majority with just 12 months of diagnosis.
Eddie, aged 77 from Suffolk, says the sponge on a string test may have saved his life after suffering for years with persistent heartburn.
'To think that something as simple as swallowing a capsule could uncover a hidden risk is truly remarkable,' he said.
'Knowing I have Barrett's oesophagus meant I was prioritised, my condition was monitored, and as a result my dysplasia (cell changes) was caught early.
'This test gave me peace of mind and access to early treatment and could mean the difference between life and death for so many others.'
The NHS has partnered with Boots and diagnostics company Cyted Health for the pilot, alongside Heartburn Cancer UK.
Public health minister Ashley Dalton said: 'Last week, as part of our 10-year health plan, we promised a neighbourhood health service–convenient care nearer to where people live.
'Today's announcement is a fantastic example of the life-saving potential of healthcare on your high street.'
Before the invention of the sponge on a string test patients suspected of having Barrett's oesophagus had to undergo an endoscopy—where flexible camera is inserted into the mouth and down the food pipe—a far more invasive procedure.
In addition to heartburn and indigestion a sore throat—especially when swallowing—is another common sign of the disease.
Patients are urged to contact their doctor if they have heartburn for three weeks or more or any other symptoms like problems swallowing or losing weight unexpectedly.
While most likely not cancer, an early diagnosis—when the disease is typically easier to treat—can vastly improve outcomes for patients.
Data suggest that oesophageal is on the rise in Britain with cases having increased 3 per cent since the 90s overall and 10 per cent in men specifically.
Earlier this year figures showed Britain has one of the highest rates of the disease in Europe.
The cancer kills 22 patients per day in the UK, one of the highest rates in Europe.
Data show the UK has 14.2 new cases of oesophageal cancer per 100,000 people per year.
This is quadruple Italy's 3.5 cases per 100,000 people per year, triple Spain's 4.4 and double or almost double France's and Germany rate of 7 and 7.7.
Only the Netherlands narrowly beats Britain in Western Europe, sneaking ahead at 14.9 cases.