Blood test that detects all cancers to launch in UK 08:00

A non-invasive blood test which can detect all cancers at every stage with high accuracy is to launch in the UK.

Cancer diagnostics, treatment and prevention experts RMDM has developed PanTum Detect. It can detect any cancer at any stage of its growth with a 99.05% specificity and 97.5% sensitivity. This technology is already on the market in other parts of the world, including in Holland and Germany.

Dr Ahmed Bourghida, chief scientific officer at RMDM, said: “Following extensive research, investment and development, we are now in a position to revolutionise cancer care in the UK. Early detection of cancer is absolutely vital when it comes to improving cancer outcomes and saving lives, and our unique, non-invasive blood test will take away the fear factor that many people feel around biopsies, giving the NHS the confidence to run more universal screening campaigns.”

The technology has been tested and validated in the UK at the Centre for Health and Human Performance (CHHP) at 76 Harley Street in London.

As one in two people in the UK will develop cancer during their lifetime, there is an urgent need for better diagnosis. Screening programmes in the UK remain limited and out of 200 types of cancers, the UK currently provides screening services for just three.

Elizabeth Moore, managing director at the Centre for Health and Human Performance, said: “Myself and the team at CHHP are absolutely thrilled to be involved in the revolutionary launch of the PanTum blood test, an innovation in cancer blood testing. CHHP has been involved in the long process of trialling and testing for many months in order to validate the test, which is now ready for the UK market.

“The PanTum test has emerged as a unique test to the UK market, with minimal invasion and can screen for cancer before it is too late. The blood test is a significant breakthrough in proactive medical management that will enable patients and doctors alike to detect much earlier change in metabolism that differentiate cancer cells from normal cells at such an early stage. We look forward to seeing how the development of this test within the UK can grow to a nationwide service.”