New blood test trial for common cancers: What GPs need to know

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By Kathy Oxtoby

The government has announced the launch of a “world-leading” new trial in at least 200 GP practices in England aimed at diagnosing a range of the most common cancers sooner.

More than 20,000 NHS patients will take part to assess whether blood tests can spot prostate, ovarian, colorectal, pancreatic, stomach, liver, and other abdominal cancers.

The trial is being led by researchers at the University of Birmingham.

Funded by the Office for Life Sciences through the government’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the STRIDE-RCT trial will receive up to £8.49 million of government funding and be carried out across inner-city, rural, seaside and deprived communities.

What do the blood tests aim to detect?

Their aim is to detect early markers of cancer, before more severe symptoms develop, “providing the potential to catch and treat major cancers before they can progress”. 

Each year, around 71,000 people are diagnosed with pancreatic, stomach, liver, ovarian or colorectal cancer in England, resulting in almost 35,000 deaths.