Researchers in the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford have today unveiled a ground-breaking tool that could revolutionise the early detection of oesophageal cancer – the long tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach. This is the 8th most common cancer in the world. Using vast patient databases and cutting-edge computational techniques, the team has developed a prediction algorithm called ‘CanPredict (oesophageal)’ that identifies individuals at high risk of this cancer and could potentially save countless lives through targeted screening and early intervention.
Published today in ‘The Lancet Regional Health – Europe’ the team of researchers from the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Nottingham developed this innovative tool to predict the 10-year risk of oesophageal cancer and to identify high-risk patients for further screening, potentially leading to earlier detection and improved patient outcomes. While there are methods available for detecting oesophageal cancer, such as endoscopy, they are often reserved for patients showing symptoms or those already known to be at high risk.