Blood test raises chances of early cancer detection

Early diagnosis of cancer is so important, so it's cheering to hear of a study that could lead to faster treatment - and save lives. It involved a blood test for more than 50 types of cancer, which then correctly identified two out of every three cancers.

More than 5,000 people were tested whod visited their GP with suspected symptoms. The test also correctly identified the site of cancer in 85% of those cases.

The Symplify study is the first large evaluation of a multicancer early detection (MCED) test in people who went to their GP for a diagnosis for suspected cancer.

The study enrolled 6,238 patients, aged 18 and older, with symptoms suspicious for possible gynaecological, lung, lower or upper gastrointestinal cancer, or with non-specific symptoms, in England and Wales.