Revolutionizing Womb Cancer Screening: How AI Blood Tests from NHS are Changing the Game

Numerous NHS hospitals are gearing up to utilize an AI-driven blood test to assist in evaluating women referred for potential womb cancer before resorting to invasive examinations.

As reported by The Guardian, approximately 90,000 postmenopausal women in England are referred by GPs annually for assessments following episodes of heavy bleeding. Out of these, about 10,000 women receive a womb cancer diagnosis each year, with around 2,700 succumbing to the disease.

Understanding the Functionality of the PinPoint Test

The PinPoint test, created by Leeds-based PinPoint Data Science, leverages machine learning to evaluate cancer risk based on blood markers. It categorizes patients as low, elevated, or high risk through an analysis of approximately 30 markers.

According to PinPoint, the test is priced at around £30 and provides clinicians with a risk score to integrate within existing cancer referral pathways. This score aids in determining whether a patient should be monitored, referred for further examination, or fast-tracked for assessment.

PinPoint characterizes the tool as a multi-cancer test, stating that it has been employed in gynaecological, lung, upper gastrointestinal, head and neck, and lower gastrointestinal cancer routes.

The introduction of the test follows a trial involving 16,481 patients referred through urgent suspected cancer pathways in Yorkshire, including women with symptoms raising concerns about potential womb or gynaecological cancer.

Based on the trial results, approximately one in ten women referred due to heavy bleeding were diagnosed with cancer.

PinPoint reported that the test accurately identified 99.1% of cancers as elevated or high risk and achieved a negative predictive value of 99.8% for women in the lowest-risk category.

Mid Yorkshire NHS Teaching Trust intends to utilize the test for six different types of gynaecological or upper gastrointestinal cancer, while Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust plans to apply it specifically for gynaecological cancer.

Current Diagnostic Approach

Under the current pathway, women referred for suspected reproductive system cancers typically undergo a pelvic examination that includes a transvaginal ultrasound scan. This procedure involves inserting an ultrasound probe into the vagina to measure the thickness of the womb lining, which some women may find uncomfortable or painful.

If cancer suspicions persist, patients may then be directed for additional assessments, such as a biopsy or hysteroscopy, an internal examination of the womb. PinPoint’s test is designed to identify women at very low risk before resorting to these procedures.

The company mentioned that the test could spare nearly one in five referred women from requiring a transvaginal ultrasound scan, potentially benefiting about 18,000 women annually in England.

Professor Sean Duffy, Chief Medical Officer at PinPoint Data Science and former NHS England National Clinical Director for Cancer, emphasized the test’s value in ruling out women at extremely low risk.

Dr. Jacinta Walsh, a GP at King’s Medical Practice in Normanton, West Yorkshire, highlighted that patients may undergo up to six GP visits before ruling out cancer, suggesting that the test could expedite this process and free up resources for other patients.

Tracy Jackson, a consultant gynaecologist and cancer unit lead at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, pointed out that the majority of women assessed through the current referral route do not have cancer, while the investigations can be discomforting or distressing.

Jackson added that the test could aid clinicians in triaging patients before conducting hospital-based assessments, allowing low-risk patients to be ruled out in primary care and prioritizing higher-risk patients for further scrutiny.

Other AI Implementations in the NHS

Recent AI initiatives in the NHS include MEMORI at Kent and Canterbury Hospital, an AI triage tool in the NHS App, and AI-driven chest X-ray tools for suspected lung cancer pathways.

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has integrated an AI system named MEMORI at Kent and Canterbury Hospital to evaluate infection risks based on routine patient data. The system analyzes data already present in patient records, encompassing blood tests, blood pressure, temperature, observations, medications, and demographics.

NHS England mentioned that an AI triage tool within the NHS App is anticipated to reach over 200,000 patients within a year and become accessible to all NHS App users by April 2028.

The government has committed £20 million to introduce AI-powered chest X-ray tools to all NHS trusts in England by 2029. These tools are currently available in about half of NHS trusts in England and have aided in evaluating over four million patients undergoing investigations for lung cancer.

Further evaluation is essential to determine the impact of the test on patient outcomes, referral decisions, and NHS diagnostic capabilities.

Cancer Research UK acknowledged the potential of the PinPoint test but emphasized the necessity for additional research to comprehend its advantages for patients and the NHS. Samantha Harrison, a spokesperson for the charity, highlighted the importance of early detection in saving lives and the current inadequacy in swift diagnoses.

The charity suggested that the test could help dismiss endometrial cancer in certain women through a blood test, eliminating the need for further investigations.

(Image by Adam Mills)

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