A groundbreaking study led by East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust has highlighted the effectiveness of a new bladder cancer test which it is believed will improve detection rates and reduce the need for invasive investigatory procedures for patients in the UK and beyond.
The research – the first of its kind in Europe – was carried out on 71 consenting patients at Lister Hospital in Stevenage, with a 100% accuracy rate for detecting bladder cancer in urine samples where blood was present.
Currently many patients suspected of having bladder cancer have to undergo invasive procedures before diagnosis can be confirmed, but the simplicity of the test could mean that in the future patients can be screened without needing to go to hospital for a procedure.
The URO17™ test – which uses a novel biomarker, a biological molecule found in the body which can be used to detect diseases – was developed by US-based firm KDx Diagnostics Inc and used by Lister Hospital’s cellular pathology team for the study.
Lister-based urological surgeon Nikhil Vasdev was the chief investigator and the lead author of the study, which has been published by the British Journal of Urology International.
“We are pleased to be the first group in Europe to report on the high accuracy of this test in detecting the presence of bladder cancer in patients who have not been previously diagnosed with the disease,” said Mr Vasdev, who is also the associate medical director for cancer services at East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, which runs the Lister.
“Our ability to identify bladder cancer simply, accurately, and non-invasively using URO17 TM will greatly improve detection at an early stage when it can be treated most effectively.”
Around 10,000 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer in the UK each year, with Dr Michael Chilvers – the trust’s medical director – believing the test “shows real promise in improving bladder cancer patient care both here and abroad”.
Dr Chilvers, a co-author of the study, added: “I am extremely proud of our urology department being at the forefront of this groundbreaking study in Europe.”
Sholeh Jahanfard, president and chief operating officer of Californian-based business KDx, said: “We are delighted with the success of our collaboration with Mr Vasdev on this important study and, with our recent CE marking for the URO17-IVD test, we are excited to bring this important test to patients in the UK and the rest of Europe.”
It is hoped the study can now be replicated on a national scale before steps can be taken to roll out the test here – having first been used as a laboratory-developed test in the US in July 2019.
