A breakthrough has been announced that an artificial intelligence (AI) blood test may be able to replace the need for invasive womb cancer checks. Several NHS hospitals in England are now preparing to use the AI-powered test, which can assess women referred by general practitioners after experiencing heavy bleeding without the need for surgical intervention.
According to The Guardian, around 90,000 postmenopausal women in England each year are referred by GPs for possible womb cancer checks, with about 10,000 being diagnosed annually. However, this invasive process is typically followed by surgery, which can be expensive and carries risks. The AI blood test, developed by a team of researchers at the University of Oxford, uses advanced algorithms to analyze blood samples and identify potential issues without needing a physical examination.
The use of the AI-powered test is expected to reduce the number of unnecessary invasive womb cancer checks, potentially saving millions of pounds in healthcare costs and reducing stress for patients. The NHS has stated that they are eager to see the results of this trial and will be rolling out the AI blood test across their hospitals over the coming months.