Sat Oct 05 23:01:00 UTC 2024: ## Breathalyser Trial Aims to Detect Gut Cancers Early, Saving Lives
**London, UK** – A groundbreaking trial will see breathalysers used to detect gut cancers in 8,000 NHS patients starting in April 2025. This new technology, similar to a roadside alcohol test, detects specific molecules in a patient’s breath indicative of liver, pancreatic, and oesophageal cancers.
The non-invasive test offers a significant advantage over current methods, such as biopsies, as it is less invasive, cheaper, and provides results within days. Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle highlighted the potential life-saving implications of this technology, stating that early detection is crucial in the battle against gut cancers.
“It’s really exciting technology,” said Mr Kyle. “It saves having to do very invasive biopsies which are extremely debilitating.”
Gut cancers are responsible for 44,000 deaths annually in the UK, and early diagnosis significantly improves survival rates. The trial aims to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of this technology, with a potential for widespread implementation across the NHS.
This initiative is part of the government’s broader effort to utilize technology for early cancer detection. An £118 million fund will support the development of five centers dedicated to creating innovative solutions, including an AI tool for early lung cancer detection.
Mr Kyle emphasized the personal significance of this initiative, citing his mother’s passing from lung cancer a decade ago. “We use words like quantum and AI – it sounds distant,” he said, “But it is incredibly human.”
First Piper 