A stock photo of a woman with dark skin and black hair being given a blood test in what looks like a GP surgery. She is wearing a blue dress and having her blood taken by a female doctor or nurse wearing green gloves.Image source, Getty Images
ByMichelle RobertsDigital health editor
  • Published18 minutes ago

New blood tests designed to check for multiple cancers in one go will be offered to NHS patients in some 200 GP surgeries in England as part of a trial.

The aim is to detect hard-to-diagnose abdominal cancers, including liver, ovarian and pancreatic cancer, much sooner. These cancers are often found only after they have spread.

The tests look for proteins or fragments of DNA in the blood that may signal cancer. Results could help doctors decide which patients with vague symptoms need further investigations.