Dementia blood test diagnosis trial gets underway
- A trial to identify fast and accurate blood tests that can diagnose dementia comes at an “exciting” time in the treatment of the disease, according to a leading scientist.
- More than 3,800 people from 28 NHS memory clinics across the UK are being invited to sign up to the five-year Read-Out study, external led by the University of Oxford.
- Scientists will assess a variety of blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia to see how user-friendly they are in clinical settings.
Black men in England more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage prostate cancer, analysis shows
- Black men in England are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage prostate cancer than their white counterparts, while being less likely to receive life-saving treatment, analysis by the National Prostate Cancer Audit has found.
- The analysis found that black men were diagnosed with stage three or four prostate cancer at a rate of 440 per 100,000 black men in England, which is 1.5 times higher compared with their white counterparts, who had a diagnosis rate of 295 per 100,000.
- The research was conducted by analysing new prostate cancer diagnoses by ethnicity in England from January 2021 to December 2023, using data from the Rapid Cancer Registration dataset and the National Cancer Registration dataset.
One-year milestone for groundbreaking diagnostic service
- A pioneering service that allows individuals to self-refer for a vital womb cancer diagnostic test has reached its one-year milestone, marking a significant advancement in women’s health care.
- The post-menopausal bleeding service, introduced in Somerset, has been hailed as a game-changer for those experiencing bleeding after menopause.
- Prior to its implementation, patients faced an average wait of 63 days to see a hospital specialist, followed by a potential 48-day wait for a cancer diagnosis.
New Blood Test Could Shorten Endometriosis Diagnosis Delays
- Researchers from the University of Melbourne and the Royal Women’s Hospital, in collaboration with Proteomics International Laboratories, have developed a blood test that could offer a novel tool for early-stage detection.
- The results were published in the journal Human Reproduction.
- Despite affecting 1 in 10 women, endometriosis remains significantly underdiagnosed and misunderstood. For millions, the journey to diagnosis takes an average of seven years, during which symptoms are frequently dismissed.
Are we ready for another pandemic?
- After Covid-19, world leaders agreed to work together to strengthen global health systems, but negotiations on a new agreement have stalled
- The Guardian’s Katy Lay explores whether the world has truly learned lessons from COVID and are better prepared for the next pandemic.
