England to test blood tests for 13 cancers in GP trial

More than 20,000 patients aged 45 and over are expected to take part in an England-wide trial testing whether blood tests can help GPs identify possible cancers and decide who needs further investigation. The University of Birmingham-led STRIDER-CT study will run across about 200 or more GP practices. The trial will evaluate three blood-testing technologies for signals associated with 13 cancers, including bowel, pancreatic, ovarian, stomach, liver, prostate, kidney and bladder cancers. Researchers will assess how accurately the tests identify possible cancer and whether results can help GPs prioritize patients for urgent checks. The technologies examine tumour DNA fragments or proteins associated with cancer; artificial intelligence may also be used to analyse results. Participants will be people aged 45 and older who attend their GP with symptoms that may indicate cancer, such as persistent bloating or abdominal discomfort. The study focuses on cancers that can be difficult to identify because their symptoms may resemble less serious conditions. NHS national clinical director for cancer Peter Johnson said that difficulty is particularly acute for abdominal cancers. The tests...