Cancer breath test and AI doctor funded through UK med-tech push

Two Imperial-led projects aimed at improving cancer diagnosis have been funded as part of a UK government drive to improve cancer care.

Cutting-edge research at Imperial College London, including a breath test to diagnose cancer and an ‘AI doctor’, has been awarded funding as part of a new package of support from the UK Government.

The two projects, which have been funded through the NIHR’s i4i Early Cancer Diagnosis Clinical Validation and Evaluation funding call, could lead to new approaches to diagnose cancer earlier in the UK and could be used in GP clinics.

In the first project, Professor George Hanna, head of the Department of Surgery & Cancer at Imperial College London and consultant general surgeon at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, will lead efforts to further develop a non-invasive breath test to detect early stages of gastrointestinal cancers – including oesophageal, gastric, pancreatic, liver and colorectal – based on a sample of a patient’s breath.

The project, called PANACEA (PAN Alimentary Cancer Exhaled breath Analysis), will see researchers assess the accuracy of their test, which has been developed by Professor Hanna’s team at Imperial and collaborators, and which works by detecting and analysing subtle chemical signatures carried by the breath. The project will also study how to introduce a test into primary care settings – such as GP clinics.

AI Doctor

The second project to be awarded funding, led by Professor Brendan Delaney from the Department of Surgery & Cancer, will trial the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support cancer early diagnosis in general practice.

Researchers from the departments of Surgery and Cancer, Mathematics and Computing, and the Dyson School of Design Engineering at Imperial  and from Queen Mary University of London will work with NHS Sussex Secure Data Environment and industry partners to develop a virtual doctor for general practice, using pancreatic and lung cancer as models.

A platform, developed by US medical AI start-up SOAP Health, will use a virtual assistant to take a full medical history from patients prior to their contact with a GP. This will enable AI to support GPs in diagnosis and management at the first point of contact with the patient.

Professor Brendan Delaney, a GP and Chair in Medical Informatics at Imperial’s I-X initiative, said: “From our previous research we know that suggesting possible diagnoses at the very start of a consultation enables GPs to be more accurate in diagnosis. The partnership with SOAP Health enables us to implement this approach in the NHS whilst also potentially freeing GP time and improving accessibility for patients”

UK Life Sciences Boost

The two Imperial-led studies are part of a larger package of funded projects announced this week, which the UK Government says will bring expertise from the UK life sciences sector and the NHS to tackle cancer and other life-threatening diseases with better treatments and faster diagnoses.

The funding aims to deliver tailor-made therapies and cutting-edge imaging tools for catching cancer earlier, and forms part of joint public and private sector investments to boost both the health and wealth of the nation. 

Announcing the funding, Peter Kyle, Science and Technology Secretary, said: “Cancer is a disease that has brought pain, misery and heartbreak to every family in the country, including my own. But through government working in partnership with the NHS, researchers, and business, we can harness science and innovation to bring the detection and treatment of this horrendous disease firmly in to the 21st century, keeping more families together for longer.

“The UK’s scientists, researchers and captains of industry have brilliant ideas that aren’t just going to boost our health – they’ll boost our economy too, helping to build a virtuous circle for more investment in both health and research which will ultimately drive up living standards.”

Wes Streeting, Health Secretary, said: “As a cancer survivor, I know how vital an early cancer diagnosis and the latest treatments are. This investment will not only save lives, but also secure Britain’s status as a powerhouse for life sciences and medical technology.

“When we combine the care of the NHS and the genius of our country’s leading scientific minds, we can develop life-changing treatments for patients and help get Britain’s economy booming.”

-

This article is based on materials provided by NIHR.