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AI Blood Test Could End Painful Cancer Exams
8 Jul
Summary
- AI blood test trial aims to prevent invasive procedures.
- Test shows 99% accuracy in detecting womb cancer.
- Thousands of women may avoid uncomfortable ultrasound scans.
Thousands of women in England may soon avoid painful intrusive examinations for suspected womb cancer thanks to a new AI-powered blood test being trialled by the NHS. The PinPoint blood test, developed by Leeds-based firm PinPoint Data Science, has shown a 99% accuracy rate in detecting gynecological cancers.
Around 90,000 postmenopausal women are referred annually in England for suspected womb cancer due to heavy bleeding. While 10,000 are diagnosed, the PinPoint test could spare up to 18,000 women a year from uncomfortable transvaginal ultrasound scans.
The trial involved over 16,000 patients across 170 practices. The test uses machine learning to analyze 30 blood markers, assessing a patient's cancer risk. This innovation promises to shortcut the diagnostic process, providing peace of mind earlier and freeing up GP capacity.
NHS trusts, including Mid Yorkshire and Leeds teaching hospitals, are planning to integrate the test for gynecological cancers. Experts have hailed the test's accuracy, noting its potential to safely rule out low-risk women from unnecessary procedures.
