World-first NHS cancer blood test to fast-track personalised treatment for thousands of patients
Thousands of cancer patients are set to benefit from a world-first NHS blood test that speeds up access to treatment and avoids the need for invasive biopsies.
The screening—known as a liquid biopsy—is being rolled out to around 15,000 patients with suspected lung cancer, NHS England has announced.
There are also plans to expand it to advanced breast cancer and, potentially, prostate cancer patients in the near future.
It works by analysing fragments of tumour DNA found in a simple blood sample, allowing doctors to quickly identify genetic mutations that can be matched to targeted therapies.
This means treatment can begin far sooner, without waiting for traditional tissue biopsy results.
Officials said the rollout marks the first time any health system in the world has adopted a 'blood test-first' approach for cancer on a national scale.
The test will also be offered to around 5,000 women a year with advanced breast cancer who have not responded to standard treatment, helping doctors determine whether they are eligible for precision drugs.
Scientists are also exploring its use for other forms of the disease including pancreatic and gallbladder cancers.
Lung cancer is typically diagnosed with scans and a tissue biopsy, where a small tumour sample is examined under a microscope to assess the nature of the disease.
Although genetic testing can be done on tissue, it is time-consuming as samples must be sent to a lab.
Liquid biopsies offer faster results, using a far less invasive method.
Around 10,000 people with non-small cell lung cancer—the most common form—have already received the test as part of an NHS pilot involving 176 hospitals.
Patients who had a liquid biopsy were able to start treatment an average of 16 days earlier than those who had tissue samples taken.
Independent analysis suggests the test could save the NHS up to £11 million a year in lung cancer care.
The NHS said it was also expanding testing in advanced breast cancer, with several genetic variations now being screened for and around 5,000 women set to benefit per year.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, said: 'Liquid biopsies are leading us into a new era of personalised cancer care… it's fantastic we can now expand this revolutionary test to help tailor treatment for thousands more patients.'
Prof Johnson added: 'Cutting-edge genomic testing is helping us deliver more targeted and kinder care for patients, enabling some to avoid more intensive treatments such as further chemotherapy, which can have a huge impact.
'We are already seeing the difference this test can make in lung and breast cancer, and we hope to roll it out for patients with other forms of cancer in the near future.
'As research progresses, it's exciting that this approach has the potential to help us 'scan' the body in a single blood test to see where and how cancer may be developing and target it with speed and precision to help save more lives.'
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the rollout would 'give thousands of people peace of mind.'
Professor Dame Sue Hill, chief scientific officer for England, added: 'This represents a real step-change in care for eligible lung and breast cancer patients on the NHS.
'This testing is transforming care and helping clinicians match patients earlier, especially when cancer tissue may not be available with potentially life-extending targeted therapies rapidly and with greater precision.
'This test is a great example of the NHS harnessing the power of genomic technological advances to enable the latest groundbreaking treatment to be delivered to patients.'
One patient who has already benefitted is Rebeca Proctor, 41, from Carlisle, who was diagnosed with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer in January.
A liquid biopsy revealed she had an ALK genetic mutation, making her eligible for the targeted drug brigatinib.
A traditional biopsy confirmed the result 10 days later.
'When I found out I had stage four cancer, it felt like being punched in the gut,' she said.
'I was scared—I kept thinking about my children and whether I'd get to see my little girl start nursery.
'But the medication has given me my life back. I've got my energy back, and my kids have their mum back.
'I know I won't be cured, but the treatment is keeping the cancer from spreading. We're taking it day by day and fighting whatever comes.'
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