Testing times
Some recent announcements by NHS England on the evolution of testing for a variety of health conditions were made in January, summaries and links given below. The announcements are in line with NHS 10-Year Plan objectives and the recently published Cancer Plan.
NHS launches AI and robot pilot to spot lung cancer sooner
Patients facing suspected lung cancer could get answers sooner under a new NHS pilot using artificial intelligence and robotic technology to help doctors reach hard-to-detect cancers earlier, with fewer invasive tests.
The new approach uses AI software to rapidly analyse lung scans and a robotic camera is then used to guide biopsy tools through the airways with far greater precision than standard techniques. The pilot comes alongside plans for the NHS to expand lung cancer screening.
Link to the NHS England announcement here
NHS to detect and prevent more bowel cancers with more sensitive screening
More cases of bowel cancer will be diagnosed earlier or prevented as part of NHS plans to increase the sensitivity of bowel cancer screening due to NHS England lowing the threshold for a home-screening kit to trigger urgent cancer testing.
The NHS estimates the change could help detect around 600 more bowel cancers early each year in England – around an 11% increase – and find 2,000 more people with high-risk polyps in their bowel, allowing patients to have preventative surgery before any cancers develop.
The home-testing kit is offered to all people over 50 years old and checks for blood in a small stool sample, which can be a sign of bowel cancer.
Link to the NHS England announcement here
People at risk of inherited cancers are to receive regular NHS checks through a new genetics programme
People at higher risk of developing cancer due to inherited faulty genes will be regularly checked and tracked by a new national genetics programme.
The world-first genetic register, developed by the NHS, will collect patient information on over 100 genes linked to an increased risk of cancer, with plans for it to help fast-track thousands more people to screening and testing, while speeding up access to personalised therapy and trials.
Link to the NHS England announcement here
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