Routine Blood Tests Could Speed Up Early Cancer Diagnosis For People With Stomach Pain

A recent study suggests that routine blood tests, commonly used to explore various health concerns, could significantly improve the early detection of cancer in individuals experiencing stomach pain or bloating. Researchers at University College London (UCL) found that abnormal results in 19 different blood tests were linked to a higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer within a year.

The study analyzed data from over 400,000 people in the UK, aged 30 or older, who visited their general practitioner (GP) due to stomach pain, and more than 50,000 who reported bloating. The findings indicated that taking abnormal blood test results into account could have led to a 16% increase in urgent cancer referrals, potentially catching undiagnosed cases earlier.

This approach could lead to an additional six people with undiagnosed cancer being urgently referred out of every 1,000 who visited their GP with these symptoms. For patients over 60, the research showed that the risk of cancer was high enough to warrant an urgent referral, regardless of blood test results.

The study highlights that certain blood test abnormalities, such as anemia, low albumin, raised platelets, and increased inflammatory markers, strongly predicted an increased cancer risk, particularly in patients aged 30 to 59.

Dr. Meena Rafiq, the study’s lead author, emphasized the potential of using existing blood tests to improve early cancer detection, which could be a cost-effective way to enhance patient outcomes. The findings, published in PLOS Medicine, suggest that incorporating these blood tests into routine cancer risk assessments could help prioritize patients for further investigation, ultimately leading to earlier diagnosis and better treatment outcomes.