Key facts
- A new non-invasive test using urine and vaginal fluid samples has been developed for womb cancer.
- The test aims to help rule out womb cancer in women experiencing bleeding after menopause.
- In a study, the test identified 80 of 99 womb cancers and correctly gave negative results for 93% of non-cancer patients.
- The test was developed at the University of Manchester and Manchester University NHS foundation trust.
- Findings were published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health.
Doctors at the University of Manchester have developed a simple, non-invasive test that analyzes urine and vaginal fluid samples to help identify women at high risk of womb cancer following postmenopausal bleeding. The approach, detailed in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health, aims to transform care by triaging patients, potentially sparing many from invasive and costly diagnostic procedures.
In a study involving 1,864 women attending seven hospitals in northwest England, the new test was assessed alongside routine investigations. Of the participants, 5% (99 women) were diagnosed with womb cancer. The novel test, analyzed by specialist cytologists unaware of the diagnoses, successfully identified 80 of these 99 cancers and correctly returned a negative result for 93% of women who did not have the disease.
Researchers noted that while the test is not yet accurate enough to definitively rule out cancer on its own, it could expedite urgent investigations for high-risk individuals. It may also provide reassurance to lower-risk women, potentially delaying or avoiding immediate invasive testing, with the option for repeat sampling or full assessment if symptoms persist. The study cautioned that the high accuracy observed was in a setting with highly trained specialists and that its performance in routine practice and in asymptomatic women requires further investigation.