Supporting early diagnosis of cancer, including for patients who cannot have a tumour biopsy.
What did project address?
Cancerous cells and tumours leak DNA into the bloodstream as the tumour grows. It is possible to look for these fragments of DNA as a way to determine if a tumour is present and so confirm a diagnosis.
This project provided evidence, including the health economics, for the expansion of ctDNA testing in the NHS to support early diagnosis of cancer, diagnosis of cancer for patients who currently cannot have a tumour biopsy or do not yet have a confirmed diagnosis.
This form of testing could lead to much earlier diagnosis of cancer leading to faster and more effective treatment. This could save the lives of patients living with cancer.
Project outcomes
Following the successful completion of this national project, ctDNA testing for Lung Cancer and Breast Cancer is now an established test on the National Genomic Test Directory.
Please see our ctDNA testing pages for further information.
Meet our Team
Col Spencer, East GMSA Regional Programme Manager (colin.spencer@nuh.nhs.uk)
