The Sunday Post (Inverness)

Experts call for lung cancer test after successful trials in Scotland

- By Marion Scott CHIEF reporter

A lung cancer test which was successful­ly piloted in Scotland in a £3 million trial should now be made widely available, experts have said.

Around 12,500 Scots were recruited by GPS in Dundee and Glasgow to try out the £60 Oncimmune EarlycdtLu­ng test between 2012 and 2016. Lead researcher, NHS primary care medicine specialist Professor Frank Sullivan of St Andrews University, said the test had already saved several dozen lives of volunteers after spotting the early signs of lung cancer.

He said: “Looking forward 10 years, I’d like to see this test being offered in the same way we offer people the bowel cancer test and instead of us seeing over 4,500 people dying with late-stage lung cancer, we’d get that down to a few. “The key to getting on top of lung cancer is early detection. Unfortunat­ely, Scotland still has one of the worst records on lung cancer.” He added: “We saved several dozen lives just as a result of this research programme. I’d now like to see it being offered to several hundred thousand more people.”

Lung cancer kills 4,500 Scots every year – more than breast, ovarian and cervical cancer combined, and double the second highest killer, colorectal cancer.

But, with no national screening programme, 80% of lung cancer victims are currently diagnosed in the late stages. By then only 5% survive five years or more compared with 57% when it is detected early.

The finger-prick blood test can diagnose cancer in patients who may not have any symptoms but are in a high-risk group such as heavy smokers. It has been sold to a US firm in a £25m deal and licensed for use in 21 other countries. UK medical watchdog NICE produced a briefing on its advantages in March, confirming it has a place in early detection. But, since Covid, NICE has shelved further action. Oncimmune’s Dr Adam Hill said: “It’s deeply frustratin­g because our test can detect lung cancer four years earlier than current clinical diagnosis techniques.”

Dr Merina Ahmed, consultant clinical oncologist in lung lymphoma at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: “To identify a method of lung cancer diagnosis that is less invasive than the current method of lung biopsy would be a great leap forward.” Cancer Research UK’S Dr David Crosby described the programme as having a “really positive early result”. Scottish Conservati­ve health spokesman Miles Briggs, co-convener of the Scottish Parliament’s cancer group, said: “I can’t see any reason why we are not pursuing it when the evidence is there to show this test has saved lives.” MSP Alex Neil, who approved the trial while health minister, called on the Scottish Government to “act now or lose out”.

The Scottish Government said: “While there are some potentiall­y exciting developmen­ts for lung cancer in the pipeline, it’s important that the time is taken to carefully explore the best options that match our unique circumstan­ces in Scotland, to avoid creating further health disparitie­s.”

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