A simple breath test could save lives by diagnosing deadly cancers early.

British research shows the breathalyser is 85 per cent accurate at identifying stomach and oesophageal cancers, which between them affect 16,000 men and women a year.

Both types of cancer are often diagnosed late, leading to poor survival rates.

Scientists hope the new breath test will ultimately lead to cancers being spotted earlier, resulting in more effective treatment and saved lives.

It is also expected to help doctors avoid unnecessary endoscopy examinations - unpleasant diagnostic procedures that require a flexible telescope to be inserted down the throat and into the stomach.