This study, published in PLOS Medicine, examined data from over 450,000 UK patients who visited their GP for stomach pain or bloating, finding that abnormal results in 19 common blood tests were linked to a higher risk of cancer diagnosis within a year. The researchers estimate that considering these abnormal results could increase urgent cancer referrals by 16%, potentially leading to earlier diagnosis and treatment. The study also found that patients aged 60 or over with stomach pain or bloating had a high enough cancer risk to warrant urgent referral, regardless of blood test results. The researchers suggest that these findings could lead to more efficient and affordable early cancer detection using already available blood tests, potentially through the development of an automated risk assessment tool. As lead author, Dr. Meena Rafiq, explains, “Our study suggests we can improve cancer detection with blood tests that are already available and that are routinely given to patients with non-specific symptoms whose cause is unclear. This could be an efficient, affordable way to improve early cancer diagnosis and in some cases increase the likelihood of successful treatment.”
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Stomach Pain & Blood Tests for Early Cancer Detection
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