A breakthrough discovery has been made that could potentially slash the routine womb cancer screening process in England, saving lives and reducing unnecessary tests. According to The Guardian, an AI-powered blood test is being developed by several NHS hospitals to assess women referred for possible womb cancer before invasive checks are carried out.
Around 90,000 postmenopausal women in England are referred by General Practitioners each year after experiencing heavy bleeding, with about 10,000 diagnosed with womb cancer. However, these patients may not need to undergo invasive tests such as ultrasounds or biopsies until their condition is confirmed. The AI blood test aims to identify subtle changes in the blood that could indicate womb cancer earlier.
Studies have shown that the test can detect abnormalities in blood samples from women referred for heavy bleeding that are unlikely to be related to womb cancer. If successful, this technology could reduce the number of unnecessary tests and diagnostic procedures performed on patients. The NHS is preparing to implement the AI-powered blood test at several hospitals across England, with the aim of making it available to more women in the coming months.