Hundreds of people in England are to be offered a \u201csponge on a string\u201d test to identify a precursor to one of the deadliest cancers in high-street pharmacies for the first time.<\/p>\n
Patients with persistent heartburn or acid reflux can take the \u201cgame-changer\u201d tablet-sized capsule that when washed down with a glass of water expands in the stomach.<\/p>\n
The device is then pulled out using an attached thread, allowing the cells it has gathered to be analysed to see whether someone has Barrett\u2019s oesophagus, which raises the risk of developing oesophageal cancer.<\/p>\n
Oesophageal cancer is on the increase and is closely associated with risk factors such as poor diet, smoking, alcohol consumption and having a hiatus hernia.<\/p>\n
Mimi McCord, the founder and chair of Heartburn Cancer<\/a> UK, which is working with NHS England on the pilot scheme, said: \u201cOesophageal cancer can be a brutal disease. It hides in plain sight and when it takes hold, it doesn\u2019t hang around before it kills.<\/p>\n \u201cCatching it early, or when it\u2019s a pre-cancerous condition, is the best chance people have of survival. People who regularly self-medicate often fall below the radar of the GP system.<\/p>\n \u201cLives will be saved by more people being made aware of the signs and symptoms to look out for and having quick, simple and easily accessible tests in pharmacies.\u201d<\/p>\n The pilot is intended to help prevent more cases of oesophageal cancer by finding people with Barrett\u2019s.<\/p>\n The condition occurs when stomach acid damages the lining of the oesophagus, or food pipe. Some cells may grow abnormally and develop into oesophageal cancer.<\/p>\n About 1,500 people in London and the East Midlands will be offered the new \u201cheartburn health checks\u201d to test for Barrett\u2019s oesophagus.<\/p>\n The test is already used in hospitals and community diagnostic centres to help reduce the need for invasive endoscopies in Barrett\u2019s patients.<\/p>\n Pharmacists will work to spot patients who regularly use over-the-counter medicines to ease their heartburn but who have not sought help from their GP.<\/p>\n The NHS has worked with Boots and the diagnostics company Cyted Health<\/a> for the pilot, alongside Heartburn Cancer UK. It will run for two years before potentially being rolled out more widely.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what\u2019s happening and why it matters<\/p>\n Privacy Notice: <\/strong>Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy<\/a>. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy<\/a> and Terms of Service<\/a> apply.<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n