London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 17, 2025

New blood test for ovarian cancer could save 'thousands'

New blood test for ovarian cancer could save 'thousands'

A new study could see an advanced blood test used to detect early stage ovarian cancer across the West Midlands.

The trial, involving a blood test called ROMA, is set to run in Walsall, Sandwell and Birmingham for 18 months.

The test will be offered to those experiencing symptoms of the cancer to try and identify the disease at an earlier stage.

Professor Sudha Sundar, from the University of Birmingham, said the test could potentially save "thousands".

The project, led by Sandwell and West Birmingham and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, in partnership with the University of Birmingham, will see the test given to patients at GP surgeries run by care provider Modality.

"Unfortunately [for] women in the UK, the majority of women will be diagnosed at stage three or four ovarian cancer, when the cancer has spread beyond the ovaries and into other parts of the tummy," Professor Sundar said.

Richard Riley, who lost his wife Maxine to ovarian cancer said the test "would make a difference" to those with symptoms


She said the the new trial had aimed to establish if the cancer could be diagnosed earlier for women with persistent symptoms, such as bloating, stomach pain and distention.

"If we are able to shift the way in which we are diagnosing ovarian cancer now, we will be able to substantially increase the number of lives saved in the UK and worldwide," she added.

"I would put that number as thousands of lives [potentially] saved."


'Make a difference'


Richard Riley, from Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, said he was "delighted" to hear the new test would be offered by NHS providers.

His wife Maxine had died in 2019 after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Mr Riley, trustee for the cancer charity Ovacome, had told BBC WM the test "would make a difference" to those with the "difficult to diagnose" cancer.

"It's very much a case of being proactive and this will make a difference, there's no doubt about it," he said.

"To have a test that is going to make it easier to diagnose ovarian cancer early has got to be good, because the earlier it can be treated the better."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
×