The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has announced nearly £11 million in funding for six innovative cancer projects aimed at improving early detection and diagnosis. These projects, funded through NIHR’s Invention for Innovation (i4i) initiative and the Office for Life Sciences (OLS) Cancer Programme, focus on harnessing new technologies and methods to increase early cancer detection rates.
Among the projects are a breath test for gastrointestinal cancers, an artificial intelligence (AI) tool for diagnosing lung cancer, and a saliva-based genetic test to assess prostate cancer risk. The initiatives will assess the clinical effectiveness of these innovations and their impact on patient outcomes.
The OLS Cancer Programme, backed by £22.5 million of UK Government funding, is working to make the UK a leader in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, with the goal of offering patients earlier, more targeted treatments. The NIHR’s Scientific Director for Innovation, Professor Mike Lewis, highlighted the potential life-saving benefits of finding cancers earlier.
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