A research collaboration with NIHR, The Royal Devon University Hospital Trust and The University of Exeter, has identified a novel way of interpreting standard blood tests with the potential to help identify cancer earlier.
The HelpFlag study applies an algorithm to blood analysis, supporting doctors in detecting differences in blood platelet levels, flagging concerns for GPs along with advice on next steps such as further testing.
Around 500,000 blood tests are currently processed by Royal Devon each year that include a platelet reading, the trust shares, with variations due to age or gender currently not considered when results are interpreted to decide whether they may indicate cancer.
Following an initial trial in five GP practices, the pilot has now been rolled out to 60 GP practices in Devon, and has also launched in Liverpool. Estimates are that if rolled out across the entire NHS, it could result in 10,000 additional patients per year identified with heightened blood platelet count prior to their cancer diagnosis.
Project lead, Sarah Bailey, commented: “It’s really exciting to see more GP practices coming on-stream, to this new way of analysing the blood tests they’re already taking. Our project will give more accurate information on blood count for more patients, which could tell whether they’re at elevated risk. We know that catching cancer early can save lives, and we hope this may one day be expanded across the NHS.”
Referring to the research as a “win-win for improving cancer diagnosis”, Tim McDonald, clinical director for pathology at Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It’s actually very simple for us to add to the routine tests we’re already conducting, and we hope it will mean that GPs can catch cancer in some patients earlier, which we know leads to the best outcomes.”
Wider trend: Digital transformation in cancer services
Last summer, the DHSC announced a centralised system for cancer patients, built into the Federated Data Platform. The Cancer 360 tool collates data points across tests, appointments and treatments, displayed via a dashboard. DHSC highlights how this will help “track a patient’s progress and support personalised treatment plans”.
The UK Government has published its National Cancer Plan for England, backed by billions of pounds worth of investments in areas such as digital diagnostics. In line with the “five big bets” set out by the 10-Year Plan, the government draws up plans to increase the use of robotic surgery, publish a new specification for a national registry for robotically assisted surgery by March 2026, and develop new national training standards to support cancer surgeons in becoming “regular and expert users of surgical robots”. By 2035, half a million procedures will use robotic surgery, it suggests. AI tools such as Ambient Voice will help reduce staff time lost to admin tasks, and AI will assist oncologists in planning radiotherapy “more quickly and accurately”, with recommendations from a GIRFT study into maximising productivity in radiotherapy services to be implemented as soon as it is published.
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust is sponsoring a study exploring the relevance and effectiveness of the 1939 Cancer Act in an increasingly digital world, it has shared. Since the Act’s publication, the way health information is shared and accessed has changed “dramatically”, the trust states, with information widely available via the internet and social media. Led by Priya Joshi, consultant oncologist at RCHT, the study will seek to understand how patients find information on areas such as cancer diagnoses and treatment plans, “with a particular focus on the role of digital media in meeting information needs”.
