The UK National Health Service (NHS) England has rolled out a new liquid biopsy test intended to fast-track lung cancer patients to receive targeted therapy.
Liquid biopsy testing works by detecting cancer-related molecules such as circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) or circulating tumour cells (CTCs) that cancer cells release into the bloodstream.
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According to NHS England, the rollout means that up to 15,000 patients with suspected lung cancer will benefit from the test each year, with the move making the UK health service the first in the world to adopt a ‘blood test-first’ approach to diagnosing cancer over the use of traditional tissue biopsy.
Data from a pilot of the lung cancer test indicated that in some cases, patients received the results of ctDNA testing required to make treatment decisions up to 16 days sooner than with the tissue biopsy approach.
The NHS has also pledged to expand liquid biopsy testing for several genetic variants in advanced breast cancer, with around 5,000 women set to benefit each year.
An independent health economic assessment of the pilot estimated that the test’s rollout could save the NHS up to £11m each year in lung cancer care. In addition, the test’s availability signifies that some patients will avoid undergoing treatments such as chemotherapy by being more effectively triaged to receive the most appropriate targeted therapy for their cancer.
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By GlobalDataProfessor Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, commented: “Liquid biopsies are leading us into a new era of personalised cancer care, and it’s fantastic that we are now able to expand the use of this revolutionary test on the NHS to help tailor treatment for thousands of patients across the country.
Since April, 1,600 patients with suspected lung cancer and around 600 advanced breast cancer patients have been tested with liquid biopsy.
Professor Johnson continued: “We are already seeing the difference this test can make in lung and breast cancer – and we hope to roll it out for patients with other forms of cancer in the near future.”
Beyond lung cancer, the NHS said it also assessing the viability of the test’s use in other cancers, including pancreatic and gallbladder cancer.
When the UK’s Labour Party came to power last year, ending 14 years of Conservative rule, they outlined a plan to rejuvenate the NHS after a lengthy period of underinvestment and funding cuts by the Conservative Party.
UK health and social care secretary Wes Streeting commented: “Thanks to this government’s investment and modernisation, we have already delivered faster diagnoses for tens of thousands of suspected cancer patients, and there’s much more to come.
“Through our Plan for Change, we are investing in cutting-edge modern treatments and tests to make our NHS fit for the future.”
