U.K. breath test for pancreatic cancer could transform early detection
Pancreatic cancer breath test developed by Imperial College London researchers could transform early detection of one of medicine’s deadliest diseases. Scientists identified specific volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath that signal early-stage pancreatic cancer, validated across more than 700 samples. The NHS has now launched a trial at roughly 40 hospital sites across England, Wales, and Scotland, targeting 6,000 patients, with results reaching doctors within three days. Since over 80% of cases are currently diagnosed after the cancer has spread, this fast, portable, low-cost test could shift outcomes from palliative to curative for thousands of patients annually.
