By Karim Hammam
The NHS will trial four new blood tests designed to detect early signs of cancer among more than 20,000 patients at 200 GP surgeries across England. The initiative aims to identify cancer earlier through a simple blood test ordered by a GP while reducing unnecessary hospital referrals for invasive investigations.
Four tests under evaluation
The first phase includes Proteotype's Enlighten test, Pinpoint AI's PinPoint test, Natera's Signatera test, and Mercy Bioanalytics' Halo test. Each test analyses different biomarkers or circulating tumor DNA fragments to assess cancer risk. The Enlighten test measures amino acid patterns using AI to flag possible breast, bowel, lung, or prostate cancer. The PinPoint test evaluates 32 biomarkers simultaneously, returning results via a red-amber-green risk system. Signatera detects circulating tumor DNA from recurring cancers, while Halo analyses single extracellular vesicles present at high levels even in early-stage disease.
Trial design and eligibility
Named STRIDE-RCT, the trial will offer tests to people aged 45 and over who visit their GP with abdominal symptoms such as persistent bloating or discomfort. Researchers will assess how effectively the tests perform in real-world primary care settings. Health minister James Frith said it may take 18 to 24 months to determine whether any test is suitable for national rollout.
Government and expert reactions
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper described the innovations as a key part of the National Cancer Plan, emphasizing that earlier diagnosis saves lives. Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, called the trial the start of a revolution in cancer diagnosis. Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, welcomed the trial as an important step toward giving GPs better tools to identify patients who need further testing.
