Charities have advocated for the increased availability of a test that can identify oesophageal cancer at an earlier stage than current techniques, in order to prevent fatalities.
The procedure formerly called Cytosponge, now known as the capsule sponge test, requires the patient to ingest a dissolvable pill attached to a string. The pill subsequently releases a sponge that gathers cells from the esophagus upon retrieval.
The exam is able to identify irregularities that occur as a result of Barrett’s esophagus, a condition that increases the risk of developing esophageal cancer.
According to Cancer Research, approximately 9,300 individuals in the UK receive a diagnosis of oesophageal cancer each year. This disease is challenging to identify as its symptoms are not easily identifiable and can often be confused with indigestion until it reaches an advanced stage.
The likelihood of surviving the disease for 10 years is only 12%, but this increases to 55% if the cancer is caught in stage one.
The capsule sponge test is able to identify cancer at an earlier point than the current techniques, such as endoscopy, which are utilized for diagnosing oesophageal cancer. However, it is currently only accessible to individuals at a higher risk and is used as an alternative to endoscopy in select NHS pilot programs.
Cancer Research UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) are collaborating on a study with 120,000 participants to evaluate the effectiveness of the capsule sponge test in decreasing deaths from oesophageal cancer. If proven successful, the test may be implemented on a larger scale.
Mimi McCord, the creator of Heartburn Cancer UK, tragically lost her spouse, Mike, to oesophageal cancer in 2002. She stated, “Oesophageal cancer is a deadly disease that can go undetected. Many people are unaware, but not all heartburn is harmless. While individuals continue to address the symptoms, the root cause may ultimately be causing harm.”
The organization is urging the use of the capsule sponge test to diagnose patients earlier and improve their chances of survival. According to McCord, the test is effective and readily available, but delays in adoption are resulting in avoidable deaths.
Dr Lyndsy Ambler, a senior strategic evidence manager at Cancer Research UK, said: “Around 59% of all oesophageal cancer cases are preventable. Yet endoscopy, the gold standard for diagnosing this cancer, is labour intensive.
“Illicit detection and tracking methods are necessary for diagnosing oesophageal cancer and effectively monitoring those at high risk.”
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“It has already had a positive impact on healthcare professionals in the NHS in England, Scotland, and Wales by decreasing the backlog for endoscopy procedures caused by the pandemic.”
A representative from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) stated that their committee recognized Cytosponge as a potential tool for diagnosing dysplasia and cancer within the NHS. However, the current evidence is not strong enough to recommend its use.
“We are currently monitoring two ongoing trials and are optimistic that they will provide the necessary evidence to thoroughly evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness of this potentially valuable tool.”
Source: theguardian.com
