Cancer Research UK has initiated a large multicentre trial to determine whether a new device, the cytosponge, is effective at detecting Barrett's oesophagus, a precursor to throat cancer.
The test involves patients swallowing a small capsule with a string attached, that dissolves in the stomach and expands to form a 3cm sponge, which is then drawn back out removing a small sample of the cells lining the oesophagus.
The trial will examine the efficacy and accuracy of the test in identifying patients with Barrett’s oesophagus, so that they can be offered treatment to reduce their risk of oesophageal cancer.
Chief investigator Rebecca Fitzgerald said that if the trial is successful it will provide a cheap, safe and highly effective method of identifying people with Barrett’s oesophagus, so they can take steps to reduce their risk of developing cancer.
The new test would cost £25, compared with £400 for a traditional endoscopy.
Earlier pilot studies, funded by the Medical Research Council, found that patients significantly preferred cytosponge compared with endoscopy.
