‘Pill-on-a-Thread’ Mobile Cancer Testing Trialled in york
YORK, UK – A new mobile screening trial offering a less invasive method for detecting oesophageal cancer and pre-cancerous conditions is underway in York, with residents randomly selected to participate over the next week. The trial, known as BEST4, utilizes a capsule sponge test – often described as a “pill-on-a-thread” – to identify potential issues earlier than traditional methods, potentially reducing the need for more intensive treatments.
Long-term acid reflux and heartburn can, in some cases, develop into cancer of the oesophagus, and a nurse involved in the trial highlighted a critical concern: “Usually those patients when they present to us, they present too late if they’ve not sought any medical advice.” The BEST4 trial aims to address this by bringing screening directly to the community, offering a more accessible option to hospital-based endoscopies.
The capsule sponge test involves swallowing a small capsule attached to a thin thread.The capsule expands in the oesophagus,collecting cells for analysis. Removal of the sponge is mildly uncomfortable, easily remedied, as experienced by participant Mr. Simpson, a semi-retired floor layer from Huntington. “I would say this way is definitely easier, it’s less of an involvement,” he said. “You’ve got to go to the hospital to have an endoscopy done, so this mobile unit is brilliant.” A throat sweet was sufficient to help him recover after the sponge was removed.
The trial will determine if the capsule sponge test can effectively detect oesophageal cancers and Barrett’s oesophagus – a pre-cancerous condition – at an earlier stage.Following the York screenings, residents of Scarborough will be offered the opportunity to participate in the BEST4 trial in December.
