A new project funded by Cancer Research UK has been launched to help investigate different methods of bringing improved cancer diagnostic tests to general practitioners (GPs).
With an aim to improve and develop new ways of diagnosing cancer in surgeries, the CanTest project will evaluate the suitability of various diagnostic methods and tools for both patients and GPs.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge, the University of Exeter, University College London, the University of Leeds and various international institutions will be involved in the project.
This is expected to reduce diagnostic waiting times and the burden of referrals.
University of Cambridge lead researcher Dr Fiona Walter said: “People are at the heart of delivering pioneering research and that is what CanTest is all about.
“We want to nurture a new generation of researchers from a variety of backgrounds to work in primary care cancer diagnostics, creating an educational ‘melting pot’ to rapidly expand the field internationally.”
The £5m funding is part of Cancer Research UK’s Catalyst Award aimed at helping researchers worldwide deliver good progress in their field.
Cancer Research UK chief executive Sir Harpal Kumar said: “This collaboration will help us discover new and more effective ways to diagnose cancer by applying different methods to GP surgeries, and finding out what really works for them on the job.”
The researchers also plan to collaborate with scientists from multiple disciplines who are looking at diagnostic tests.
CanTest will establish an International School for Cancer Detection Research in Primary Care in order to build the research community.