The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is launching a clinical trial for a groundbreaking blood test, miONCO-Dx, designed to detect 12 of the most prevalent and lethal cancers—including lung, breast, bowel, ovarian, and pancreatic—before symptoms appear.
Developed by the University of Southampton in collaboration with biotech firm Xgenera, the test utilizes artificial intelligence to analyze microRNA in just 10 drops of blood, identifying cancer presence and pinpointing its location with over 99% accuracy.
The £2.4 million government-funded trial will involve 8,000 patients and aims to validate the test’s effectiveness within the NHS. Health Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized the test’s potential to improve early cancer detection and survival rates.
The initiative also honors the legacy of Dame Deborah James, a prominent bowel cancer campaigner, with research conducted at the newly named Bowelbabe Laboratory in London.
Source: Sky News
